A/N--Sorry this took so long! I've been super busy with work and I didn't exactly know where I wanted this chapter to go, but it's finally written...so yay :) Anyways...it's a bit of a filler and kind of on the short side, but it was the best way to stop it so it's all good.  

Pic on the side is of Darla.  I'll put a better picture up later, but I felt like this one was perfect for this chapter :)

And please comment and vote and let me know how you're liking the story!  

"Can you pass the corn?" 

It's really just an excuse to talk to Ethan. I don't actually want any corn. But we've been sitting at the dinner table for about ten minutes now, my dad having made this huge dinner consisting of baked chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, rolls, and grilled asparagus. And when I'd gotten into the room, the seat next to Ethan had already been taken by traitor of a sister, so I've had to just deal with sly over-the-potatoes glances and hidden smiles. 

The blissful incident occurred last night, so it really hasn't been long since we kissed each other, but my dad has been hogging him all day. This morning they were working out in the yard, and then once it got too hot for that they came inside to work on their upcoming tour stuff. This is actually the first time I've seen him today with him knowing-I kind of watched from my bedroom window as he walked around the yard with the lawn mower, his body looking almost mouthwatering with the way his muscles worked underneath his tan skin. 

And I'm not going to lie, all morning I was a bit nervous as to how he'd act around me now that things had changed. How was he going to act in front of my family? How was he going to treat me with other eyes watching? I know that my parents aren't going to be too comfortable with us seeing each other, or whatever the hell we're doing now, if we're even doing anything, but I really don't want to go behind their backs. Not when my mom and I have a semi-decent relationship going. 

The two of us really just need to talk about things. I guess that's all I want. I want to know what to expect of him, what he expects of me. That's all I want. 

And well, I wouldn't be completely opposed to kissing him again. 

Oh who am I kidding? I think to myself when his eyes flash up to mine, a light smile appearing on his face. I want to kiss that boy a million times over. That kiss from last night has been on constant replay in my head ever since, me zoning out of reality quite a few times.  

"Sure," he says, his voice making me feel all warm since it's the first time I've heard it today. And when he reaches across the table to hand me the bowl of corn, he makes sure that his fingers brush against mine. Fighting a ridiculous blush at how much of a reaction his touch his skin gets from mine, I have to avert my gaze from his and focus intently on putting a small helping of corn on plate. 

"How's y'alls duo coming?" my mom asks from her seat next to mine, and I'm suddenly thankful for the topic change. I've been concentrating far too hard on how much I just want to be near Ethan ever since I sat down. I need a diversion. 

My dad says playfully haughtily, "Outstanding, if I may say so myself." 

I hear a light chuckle come from across from me, and I can't help but look up at the gorgeous boy with the grin on his face. I don't know why, but seeing him with that smile on his face just makes me feel so calm and light on the inside. I've never been so affected just by someone else's happiness, and not only is it really weird, it's kind of scary.  

I've kissed the guy once; I don't need to be planning our future together or anything.  

"What's it about?" Darla asks cheerily. Well, I'd be that cheery too if I was sitting that close to Ethan. I bet he smells delicious, seeing as how his hairs still a bit damp from when he took his shower before dinner. "Is it a love song? Those are my favorite." 

"Well it's a country song, so it's obviously about love or alcohol," I joke, not being able to help myself from making a dig at both my dad and Ethan.  

"Shut up Hallie," my dad responds quickly, the laughter in his voice showing me he's not actually mad. "Country's better than all that rock shit you listen to." 

"It's called alternative," I emphasize, absolutely loving how light and just happy this dinner is compared to every other big dinner we've had. Usually I'm quiet as a rock because my mom and I are in a fight, or because Darla called me a bitch underneath her breath or something. I've never actually felt like a part of the family during these family dinners...and I love it. I really do. 

"Alternative? An alternate to what? Good music?" 

"No," I say in an obvious voice, "Crap music." 

My mom then butts in and asks me, "What's the name of that band you were listening to the other day? Dragon something? Weirdest band name I've heard in my life." 

"Imagine Dragons, mom," I say dumbly, remembering back to the other day when she came in carrying stack of clean clothes, and her asking me who I was listening to. "But you said you liked the song! So don't say you didn't." 

"The generations get dumber and dumber I swear..." my dad says, shaking his head. 

"Hey!" Darla and I both yell out in protest. 

After what is probably the most stress-free family dinner of my life, my mom offers up the idea of all of us going into the theater-yes, we have our little own theater, my dad absolutely loves old gangster movies and finds that the television in the den isn't good enough-and watching some new spy movie that just got released.  

I agree pretty quickly, absolutely loving how easy-going everything is tonight and how I actually feel like a wanted part of the family. Besides, I can make sure to get a seat by Ethan. And it's not like I was going to sneak into his room so we could talk when my parents were still awake and roaming around the house. There's no way in hell I'd risk that conversation. 

And when my mom tells Ethan and I to do the dishes while they get the movie all set up, I figure I can ask him just a few things. The three of them disappear from the dining room pretty quickly, as Ethan and I remove ourselves from our seats and start picking up leftover dishes from dinner. We don't say anything as we do this, but I'll sneak a few glances over at him occasionally and other times I'll feel his gaze on me. 

Once the dining room has been cleared of dishes, we head into the kitchen and I go to stand next to him at the sink. I really don't know what to think of this newfound silence. While some would probably find it awkward and uncomfortable, I can't help but like it. It's intense and holds the opportunity for us to talk, to joke around, or to kiss each other senseless. And I find it somewhat fun and adrenaline-pumping, because it's like we're seeing how long it'll take either of us to combust and just say whatever's on our minds. 

"You rinse, I put up?" I ask him, those being the first words spoken between us except for when I asked him to pass the corn.  

"Sounds good," he says and while he starts scrubbing away at the tray where the chicken was, I can't help but watch the taut skin of his forearms flexing with every stroke of the sponge. My God, I'm pathetic. I'm swooning over how he washes dishes.  

About five minutes into him silently rinsing dishes and me silently putting them in the dishwasher and watching him while he washes he says loudly, "Hey! No getting soap on the help," making me jump in surprise.  

"I didn't get soap on..." I say confusedly, checking his arms and shirt for any trace of soap. And just like I originally thought, there isn't any soap on him. So I look up at his face in question, to see what the hell he's on, and I see this broad, teasing grin on his lips.  

"Shut the hell up," I say laughing and rolling my eyes at the same time, reaching up to swat him on the shoulder.  

"Sorry," he laughs, "I just...we need to talk about last night and I didn't know how to start it." 

"And what?" I ask him incredulously, "You thought the best way would be to yell about me throwing soap on you when it didn't?" 

"It got us to talk, didn't it?" he points out almost condescendingly, but I like to think that I know him well enough to know that he's not that kind of guy. And when I see that innocent, goofy look on his face, I know that I was right. 

"You're such a loser," I giggle. My God I'm such a girl, giggling over the guy I like. I should be ashamed of myself. 

He laughs and says, "You just love insulting me, don't you?" 

"You'd be too perfect if I didn't knock you down a few pegs every once in a while," I say, sticking my tongue out at him. And it's the truth too. I've got to make fun of him every once in a while or else he'd be too perfect. 

"Oh whatever," he says, rolling his eyes playfully at me. I'm nowhere near perfect." 

Knocking his hip with the side of mine, I say, "Shut the hell up. Again." 

"You know what?" he says, this scary devilish look coming into his eyes.  

"What?" I ask him carefully, a bit scared if I do say so myself. Ethan always seems so sure of himself, so if he's going to try something, he's probably going to succeed. 

He takes a step closer to me, and I'm not going to lie, I kind of forget that threatening look in his eyes. Now all I can concentrate on is how utterly close is to me, how freaking good he smells, and how much I want a replay of last night. That's all I want, really. I just want him to fucking kiss me again. 

But obviously that was his plan, because right as he leans his face close into mine as if he is going to kiss me, my eyes flutter close...only to not feel his lips against mine, but to feel wet and bubbly right on my cheek. Oh that bastard! My eyes fly open while my lips let out a shocked gasp. 

He's dead. 

"I hate you!" I squeal, reaching up and wiping away at the dish soap bubbles on my cheek. He immediately cracks up laughing, making me hate the bastard even more, so I go to reach in the sink and grab some more bubbles from wherever he got them. But before I can even move my hands in that direction, he's grabbed at them and pulled them into his chest. And before I can even look up at him to see what the hell he's playing at, his lips have pressed against mine, a bit harder and rougher than that soft, feather-light he gave me last night. 

That's what he's been planning this whole freaking time, the douche bag. And even though I'd love to just sink into the kiss and forget everything, I really need to get him back. I have to. I can't just let him get away with what he did. 

So all the while a plan churning in my head, I dive into kissing him back, moving my lips easily with his own, feeling like this is as easy as breathing despite how amazing it actually makes me feel. His lips curve into a smile against my own, as if he's having his own little celebration inside of his head because he got away with it, and I can't help but smile a bit back because I'm going to get him back even worse. 

He goes to move away from me, probably to tease me for winning or something, and I decide to put phase one of my plan into work. I lightly yank my hands away from his and instead put one cupping his jaw, pulling him back into me so that he can be preoccupied. He's more than eager to continue where we left off, especially because I'm being the instigator this time, my hand still cupping his jaw while the other is wrapping around his chest and pulling tightly at the fabric of his shirt. 

I hear a quiet noise in the back of his throat, the beginning of a moan maybe, and so I know that he's stopped thinking about the whole dishwasher soap incident. So knowing that I'm good, I trail my hand away from his jaw and then let my eyes flutter open, checking for something. When I see that his eyes are indeed closed, I dart my eyes to the side and see the faucet still running. I reach out with my free hand and, while making sure not to move anything else to let Ethan know what I'm doing, grab at the faucet letting it expand, pulling it over to me. 

And then I unleash it on him. 

He's off of me quicker than lightening, his jaw dropping in surprise because I've managed to get him back. I look down to admire my handiwork and an evil smile stretches across my lips when I see that the entire front of his shirt is pretty much soaked with water. 

He looks down at himself, still stunned into silence, and then pulls the wet shirt away from his tight muscles underneath. Snapping it back into place, he then looks up at me and says slowly, "You little tease." 

"Aw honey," I coo, but it's pretty much messed up because of the fact I can't stop laughing at the look on his face. "I couldn't just let you get away with..." 

But before I can even finish my words, he's grabbed me tightly by the hips and pulled me flush against him. "I'm gonna get you back, girl," he whispers hotly, before crushing his lips to mine in probably the hottest kiss I've ever received in my life.  

Not deciding to be sweet and polite like the first two kisses he's initiated, his tongue immediately scoots its way through my lips, rubbing against my own and quickly rendering me to feel like warm jelly. I feel my knees somewhat give way at the feeling coursing through me, and the second I slink against him, he's holding me even tighter, my hips pressed as tightly against his as possible. 

Letting out a slight groan, I lean a bit back, bringing his body with my own, and twine one my arms around his neck, letting my fingers slide through the hair on the base of his neck all the way to the top of his head. And then he does the best thing I think a guy's ever done to me. He nips lightly at my bottom lip with his teeth, the slight pain completely overshadowed by how unhinged and raw it makes me feel. 

I then go to move my other hand from where it's been pressed against his chest to move it downward out of pure instinct, but before I can even do that, I hear, "Oh my God." 

I jump away from Ethan as quick as humanly possible, and when I look over my shoulder, I see my little sister standing there, her dainty hand covering her mouth in absolute shock. "Shit," I murmur quietly, knowing that she's seen enough to mentally scar her for life. I mean my God, who wants to see their sister getting all hot and heavy with a guy? Definitely not me.  

"Darla," I start, stepping away from Ethan and starting to go towards her, but she flinches backward, making me stop in my tracks. 

Her eyes keep darting between Ethan and I, as if she knows what she's seen, but cannot bring herself to admit it. She looks absolutely horrified, and I can't even blame her. Shit, I don't think I've ever kissed a guy like that in my life. I know for damn sure I've never felt that while kissing a guy. And she's seen it.  

My stomach feels like it's been completely hollowed out. 

She bites down on her bottom lip, her eyes finally having stopped moving between Ethan and I. Now she just looks like she has to clarify something. "Do...does dad and mom know?" she asks, her voice sounding a bit hoarse. 

I shake my head, almost feeling ashamed. I'm definitely not going to hide it from them, of course not. If they ever found out, I don't think my mom would ever forgive me. I think hooking up with the guy they invited to live with us and keeping it a secret would be the straw to break the camel's back. She'd hate me for that. 

But it hasn't even been twenty-four hours from when we first kissed. We don't even really know what's going on between us. Lord knows I have no clue. And I can't exactly tell my mom that we've kissed but have no idea where to go from there. I want to know before everyone else does. 

She says, "You know I'm going to need to burn my eyes now, right?" 

Feeling a bit of weight leaving my body because she's not taking it hard, that she's making a joke about it, I say meekly, "Sorry." 

Crossing her arms over her chest, she then looks behind us and sees the water puddle on the floor, the bubbles coating the counter. Her eyes roll as she says, "Y'all are taking forever, by the way. Dad almost came down here to tell y'all to hurry up...he wants to start the movie." 

If my dad came down here and saw that...I don't even want to know what he'd do. So even though it absolutely sucks that she's seen that, I feel extremely lucky that it was her and not my dad. She then continues, "I'd say you have like three minutes. You're welcome," and that, turns away and walks off in the way she came from. 

"Well that was awkward," a somewhat amused voice says from behind me, and when I turn around, I see Ethan looking down at me, a light smile touching his lips. He looks happy, his eyes having this special sparkle to them, and it makes my heart jump in my chest when I think that there's a good possibility that it might be because of me.  

I say, "That was embarrassing as hell, actually." 

"Sure was worth it though," he says, and I see that devilish gleam come back in his eye at the mention of the kiss my little sister walked in on. 

I roll my eyes at his typical guy statement, but still...I can't help but smile giddily at the mere mention of it. That kiss was pretty fucking fantastic, one that I'm going to have to add to the replay list. But knowing that it can't be replayed right now, I lean forward and push my hands against his chest, telling him, "I'll clean this up, go put on a different shirt. One that looks like that one in dark room." 

"Yes ma'am," he says huskily, that southern accent of his making a nice little appearance, before pecking me hard on the lips and then disappearing up the steps. 

Knowing that I don't have much time, I then grab a rag and sink to my knees, rubbing away at the wet floors, me biting down on my lip to keep from smiling too hard the whole time.