How Soon Is Now? // The Smiths

Kyra

Pete and I march up to the guys cabin, hand in hand. I'm only half surprised to see Jeff standing on the porch, arms crossed waiting for us. His eyes track us the entire way. Nope, this is not uncomfortable at all.

"Alison called," he says as we climb the steps. "Said you were on your way and I was to behave." He puts "behave" in air quotes.

I sense Pete steeling himself for a fight with my brother, the one he's been avoiding for four years. His arm stiffens against mine even as his hold on my hand remains gentle. I glance up at him, ready to get this over with. At least there won't be any hiding afterwards.

"I left my football scholarship behind at Fallbrook to play baseball back east."

"Old news man. I was there." Jeff runs a hand through his hair.

"But that wasn't the real reason. It was an excuse."

"What was the real reason?"

"Not what, who. Kyra."

Jeff raises a brow, clearly imagining some kind of secret hook up between us. I squeeze Pete's hand hoping he clears it up before I have to. Not really excited to talk to my brother about what I have and haven't done behind closed doors.

"Nothing happened back then," Pete clarifies.

I clear my throat.

"Well, I kissed her." Pete looks at me. "We kissed and I knew I was screwed. A simple kiss unleashed everything I'd been holding back for over a year. Every draw and desire. And every bitter thought toward you and Matt."

"What did I ever do to you?"

"Nothing. I was my own worst enemy." He admits. "But I saw you with your perpetual smile, even when everything around you was a complete dumpster fire." Pete shakes his head as he looks down at his feet, shuffling his foot in the dirt. "Matt ruled over us with an iron fist. Dictating what we did, who we saw, taking any girl he felt he deserved."

"Speak for yourself," Jeff huffs.

Pete's head snaps up. "What?"

Jeff moves down the steps toward us as he continues. "Matt didn't rule what I did. I wasn't trying to get his approval on my choices. He was an ass back then, and he had his day of reckoning."

He pauses as we all remember Matt's change from the high school bully to the calm and understanding husband and father he is today. None of us knew about his home life, how his father had manipulated his entire family. Matt's behavior back then was collateral damage. But he's come so far since then.

So has Pete. And Jeff should recognize that.

Before I can say anything, Pete speaks.

"You're right."

Jeff stops. "I don't...I don't think I've ever heard those words out of your mouth."

Pete blows out a breath. "I let Matt get to me. But we were kids, and I didn't have the kind of support at home you did." He looks over at me, a wistful smile on his face. "But I spent the last three years taking down the wall that kept me from any kind of happiness. I removed myself from all the things that put me there; my friends," he ticks the list off with his fingers as he says them, "parties, girls. Even football became an issue because I was playing with you. So I dropped it completely, flew to the other side of the country to make baseball and school my only focus."

"Sounds like you've been a monk." Jeff says the words but clearly doesn't mean them.

"Basically."

"Come on, you were a player to the max. You were probably the worst one of the group."

"And now I'm not. My mistake was keeping the determination to change all to myself, even when I did come around and hang with you. I should have mentioned it once or twice, but I didn't want to jinx myself into failure. On that I can at least say I made it. I didn't come here with intentions, not consciously. But now I'm fully determined to show Kyra I'm worthy of her."

He releases my hand and steps into Jeff's space. "I graduated with honors. I haven't touched another woman other than Ky in three years. And I just got called by a west coast team to play right field on their triple A team."

I gasp and reach out to grip his hand. "Really?"

Pete looks back at me, a glow of happiness in his eyes I don't think I've ever seen. "Yeah. I'll be making peanuts and have to hold down some other crazy job to make ends meet, but I could have the chance to play in the Big Show if they ever call me up."

"I'm so happy for you." I gush as I throw my arms around him, jumping into his arms.

"Seriously, man?"

I glance at Jeff, watching as he runs his fingers through his hair, brow furrowed.

"What?" I ask, releasing Pete and stepping closer to my brother. "Why do you look stressed out? He's answered all of your concerns."

Jeff looks at me then gestures at Pete and I. "I don't need to see all of this."

I roll my eyes. "As if I haven't watched you and Alison paw at each other for the last three years."

He covers his eyes. "It's more that I'm not prepared for it this abruptly. But you do you."

Pete coughs. "Dang. It's hard to turn your words into innuendo when it's about your sister, otherwise I'd be saying something about doing someone."

Now Jeff coughs. "Shit."

I rise on tippy toes to whisper in Pete's ear. "You said hard."

Pete coughs and chokes a laugh at the same time. "Baby, you can't do that in front of your brother."

"That's it." Jeff throws up his hands and turns to go inside the cabin. "I can't take it. But I get it. You're working your shit out with my sister. I appreciate what you've done to be a better man. Now get out of my sight before I gag on my breakfast."

"I think that's the best we're gonna get from him right now," Pete says while dragging me away from the cabin and back down the road. "Maybe once he's married he'll chill."

"Or once Alison gets him alone later."

"Speaking of being alone..." Pete glances around, seeing as I do that there's no one. He cups my face and leans down to kiss me, pressing his warm lips against mine.

I sigh into him. I'm a mix of desire and relief. Elation and heat blend together bringing my arms around him to draw him close. I've imagined what the two of us would be like. But I also realize I don't know this Pete, the guy who's turned his future around and made the hard choices to get on the right path.

But I want to.

"Let's spend the day together." He breathes the words as a plea, holding me close. "I've never taken you on a date. I wanted to, so damn badly. Especially after we kissed in the cabin. It was hard to be around you and not slip and say or do something. I couldn't get you out of my head."

"We're supposed to be doing hikes and water sports with the wedding party." I tease him, because we both know we won't be participating in group activities today.

"I think we've got a free pass to skip. I'm spending the day with my girl. We're making up for all the dates we could have been on over the last few years."

"That'll take more than one day."

Pete smiles at me. "Perfect. I can keep you to myself for a while."

"A while?" I smirk.

"A damn, long while." He kisses me, then picks me up and swings me around. "I've finally got you in my arms and I'm not letting you go."

And just like that, the magic of Salt Creek is mine for the taking.

***

Pete

"Looks like the cabin is quiet," Ky says as we get back from spending most of the day together.

"Mm, I think the guys are on the kayak tour. The one Tye leads down the river to Blue Jay." Jeff's family is good friends with the resorts owner, Tye ****, who also happens to be Micah's uncle. He's hooked our group up with every outdoor adventure Salt Creek offers in the spring. It's only the second day but I know I'd be exhausted if I'd followed the schedule with the guys instead of calling off to hang with Ky. It's probably a dick move to ditch the groom-to-be for his little sister, but I don't care.

The girl of my dreams is in my arms and I'll be damned if I'm letting her go.

"Should we go find the girls? They're probably at the mini golf course. That could be fun." Kyra sounds hesitant but I understand where she's coming from. She feels guilty she called off. Unlike me.

"Is that what you want to do?"

Kyra shrugs as we head into the kitchen and grab some water. "Not exactly, but maybe we should."

"Alison understands. Besides, we're up here for a week. This is just one day. We have plenty of time to celebrate their wedding together. How much time will you and I have alone?"

As I say it, the charge that's always been between us sparks to life.

"Not much," Ky whispers as she pulls in closer. "We should make the most of it while we can."

"That's my girl." I lean in to nibble her neck.

"Am I?"

"Hmmm?" I hum into her warm skin, the scent of her skin sweet like honey.

"Am I your girl?"

I pull away to look at her. "Of course you are."

"Officially?"

"Is this a trick question?"

She shakes her head. "No. I want to hear it from you."

I take her face in my hands, pressing my forehead to hers. "You are my girl in every way. Your who I think of when I wake up, who I dream about when I'm asleep. Who's hand I want to hold, who's lips I want to kiss. And," I kiss her hard, not originally intending to take it further than that, but now that I've got her here, I do. I remember our first kiss on the couch in this very cabin, so I grab behind her thighs and lift her up. Ky's legs wrap around my waist and I have the urge to spank her ass and tell her she's a good girl.

Later.

Instead, I walk us to the couch and sit with her still stradling me, just like she was that night. Then I kiss her the way I remember doing it. With my hands on her waist, fingers sneaking under the hem of her shirt to touch her skin, riding up closer to her breasts. This time I do take a handful over her bra. I brush against her gently with the pad of my thumb. She shivers under my touch and I want to roar in satisfaction.

But Kyra pulls away.

First I'm worried that I went too far too fast, but when I see the look on her face, the want, I'm confident I didn't.

"What?"

"You never finished what you were saying."

I shake my head. "No clue. Forgot what it was." I try pulling her back down for more but she stops me.

"You do realize where we are, don't you."

This time I nod. "Where I kissed you for the first time. Just like this." I pat her thighs still stradling me. "I wanted to touch your skin so damn bad that night but we weren't really alone."

"We are now."

Shit, did she really say that? "Yeah, very true."

She doesn't have to say another word. I'm all in.

Yes!! I love these two together. I will say that this one went sideways a couple of times. When I start have trouble with what comes next, that's a huge hint. Which is why I didn't post for Friday Feels - I have to go back and rewrite Pete's confessions to Jeff. But once I did, the rest flew. Ta-da!!

And, there will be one extra chapter than originally planned because this scene will spill into the next one. Fingers crossed I finish the last two chapters this weekend (totally doable if I just sit down to do it!) So I can start writing the next Hollywood Story!! You'll get the deets before everyone else!

The Smiths were calling with How Soon is Now? which I felt fit both Pete and Kyra's mindset in this one.

https://youtu.be/hnpILIIo9ek

Thank you so much for reading! I hope you'll stay for more.