Author's Note: This is my first submission, and all comments are welcome. All characters are 18+ at the time of any sexual acts. Huge thanks to coloryourworld for her essential editing help.
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INTRODUCING...ME
Like many red-blooded American girls out there, I had a crush on my brother's best friend. It was hard not to with Gabriel. One look into his flashing green eyes and most girls were lost. But I was also a practical gal. Yeah, when I was younger, I shared those magical dreams most young girls do about marrying the handsome prince and living Happily Ever After; but at the same time, reality was never a problem for Kesare Ramirez. I learned from a young age that the world wasn't perfect.
When my twin brother Tomas and I were six, our parents had died in a car crash. After that, we went to live with our father's spinster Aunt Marie along with our two older brothers Luis, who was then nine, and Mateo, who was thirteen. I guess we were lucky we weren't in the car with our parents, but it didn't feel like that at the time.
Great-Aunt Marie was nice enough, she loved us and looked after us well, but not having had any children herself and more used to playing the over-indulgent aunt, she never knew what to 'do' with us. We used to get away with murder. The best thing about living with Aunt Marie was that she still lived near Gabriel, not down the street like it used to be, but only a couple of blocks, so we still saw him all the time. I swear he ate more at our house than he ever did a home. Gabriel had been Luis' best friend since kindergarten, had become a thick as thieves with the other two in no time, and a surrogate over-protective brother to me. (As if I didn't have enough of
those
).
By the four of them I was 'endured'. I always wanted to go with them on their adventures, and after a few stern words from Marie about 'looking out for your sister' she'd let me go. I proved useful to the boys though. I became the willing prisoner of wild 'injuns' or evil warlocks, Sith Lords, and on one brief occasion, evil mushrooms (Tommy always was a little...weird.) I wasn't an idiot. I knew straight off that being tied to a tree all day while they ran around fighting was not my idea of fun, but one pleading look from Gabriel was all it took and day after day I became good friends with that tree.
As we got older, I went from prisoner to lookout, from scrawny little sister to scrawny tomboy. When I was thirteen, our aunt died of a stroke, peacefully in her sleep. At that point, Matt had still been living at home, attending the local collage. Lucky for us, our Aunt had owned her house outright, and had enough money saved up that we could get by for a few years, though we'd need jobs to pay for anything beyond the basics. Mateo, the former football star got a job as a night guard at a local law firm, which allowed him to continue his studies, and Gabriel got Luis part-time apprenticeship at Juan's Auto Shop, where he had been working after school for a couple of months. Juan liked us all, and didn't mind if Tomas and I hung around too, as long as we didn't get in the way.
At that point, Luis and Gabriel were the heart breakers of the neighbourhood, and Tommy had been slowly realizing the merits of the opposite sex, fast following in their footsteps. Luckily for me I had gotten my first period two days before my twelfth birthday, and had been able to talk to Aunt Marie about that 'stuff' before she passed. (I'd have HATED having that conversation with Mateo).
The thing about Gabriel was that even though he was hot, (and damn was he
hot
!) he was also a good friend. When I needed someone to talk to, I'd go to him, 'cause if I tried talking to my brothers about anything remotely grown-up, they'd start yelling at me and follow me around to make sure I wasn't dating boys or anything. I suppose my brothers aren't
that
bad, I'm just their little sis, ya know? (Except for Tomas, he's 15 minutes younger than me; I don't know what
his
excuse is.)
I still had my crush on Gabriel, but I knew there was very little chance that Gabriel would ever think of me as more than a friend, and that what I was feeling was pure lust that would dissipate if anything ever
did
happen.
Or so I thought.
When I turned sixteen, a new boy transferred in to our school, and I decided I liked him. His name was David Parker. He was seventeen, about 6" with sandy blond hair and brown eyes. He was cute, although not the cutest guy in school, and wasn't super-cool either, but just a 'normal guy.' But I liked him, and I think he liked me, but I didn't know how respond the few times he tried to start a conversation with me, so he kept his distance.
I wasn't like I hadn't had guys ask me out before, but that was with no other encouragement from me other than a friendly smile, and I hadn't been interested. Most of them didn't even know me, but just thought I was pretty. Back then I was about 5'5", still slim but with a hint of burgeoning curves. I wasn't one of those girls who thinks she's hot; I didn't wear enough make-up for that. But I did turn a few heads with my thick, waist-length, lightly waved chestnut hair, my warm brown eyes and my full red lips.
I knew what my problem was. I had never tried to make friends with someone. I spent most of my childhood studying or hanging out with my brothers and Gabriel. I enjoyed it. I never needed any other friends. I tried making friends with girls my age in junior high, but all they wanted to do was talk about make-up and boys, and I had to try
really
hard not to throttle their empty little heads. I suppose on reflection I probably should have listened closer when they were gossiping about Cosmo Girl's 'Ten Ways To Get Your Guy.'
I thought long and hard about how to solve my problem. I figured that if I had a little more experience with guys, I wouldn't get quite so stressed when I was talking to one I liked.
Which is why one Wednesday afternoon three years ago, I found myself standing in front of Gabriel, asking him to kiss me.
THE KISS
"You want me to
what
?!" he asked from his seat on the couch.
"I want you to kiss me," I repeated, standing in front of him and staring at my Sketchers.
"Uh, Kes, I think you should explain where in hell's name
that
came from," He said, his bewildered green eyes watching me.
"There's a boy at school I want to ask out," I replied, shifting nervously.
"What does that have to do with me, you know...
kissing you
?" he said, whispering the last part, even though we were alone in the house.
"I'd feel a lot more confident if I had some experience with guys. I just want you kiss me, nothing more. You're the only guy I know that I'm not related to." Plus, before they split up, his ex-girlfriend had told me that he was the best kisser she knew, but I wasn't gonna tell
him
that.
"I don't know, it's kinda weird Kes, you're like my sister," He said, frowning.
"If it's not you, I'll just ask some other guy to kiss me. You know Rico down the street has always had a thing for me. Anyway, you don't have a sister," I added.
Mentioning Rico was pure genius. He had about five different girls going at once, and rumours were, one of them was knocked up. I knew I had him.
"Hey, okay Kes, I'll do it, but you've got to swear to stay away from Rico. And not to tell your brothers. You know they'd kill me." He said, jumping up from the couch.
He took a step towards me and stopped, reluctant to close the distance between us. I moved forward, placing myself just inches from him, his 6'4" frame towering over me. We stood like that for a moment, not quite looking at each other. I found myself staring at the scar on his chin he got playing street hockey with us one summer. I could feel the heat from his body, the smell of his sweat and spicy aftershave mixing to make my stomach flutter.
"Are you sure?" he asked, using his finger to tilt my chin up so I'd meet his searching gaze.
"Yes," I whispered.
He nodded, looking away, his hands running through his dark brown hair, then suddenly cradling my cheeks, his lips descending on mine.
The kiss started soft, his lips warm on mine. His tongue slipped between his lips to caress mine into opening for him. Which they did, allowing him to deepen the kiss as I lifted my arms to his broad, well muscled shoulders. The kiss was still slow, but gut-wrenchingly sweet, our lips shifting, our tongues caressing. His mouth was hot, tasting mildly of coffee. The warmth I could feel in his body seemed to match the heat rising in mine, and sent shivers up my spine. After what seemed like an eternity, Gabriel ended the kiss, catching my lower lip between his teeth, and tugging a little before letting go.
I had to hold back a whimper of disappointment; although I suppose I did have to breathe.
He still stood temptingly close to me, his eyes locked on mine, our breath mingling. I wondered for a moment if he was going to kiss me again. Then he stood back, flashing his trademark crooked grin before saying, "How was that for a first kiss then?"
There was an edge to his voice I didn't recognise, and that put my guard up.
"Fine, thank you. The guys shouldn't be to long, but I've got homework to do, there's some leftover pizza in the fridge. Bye," I replied, heading quickly for the stairs.
"Glad I could be of service
Princess
," He angrily growled as I reached the first step. He only called me Princess when he was pissed at me, but I wasn't hanging around to ask him about it.
I made it to my room in record time, quickly shutting the door and sliding down against it.
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I swear when I asked him to kiss me, I wasn't expecting it to be that good. I also thought that maybe if we kissed, I'd realize there was no chemistry and get over him. But there
was
chemistry, a lot, at least on my side, and I knew I was in big trouble.
I had started changing out of my school clothes when I realised I was wet. Not just wet. My panties were soaked through.
All that from one kiss?!
I thought, my mind drifting to imagine what it would feel like if Gabriel did more than kiss me, what it would feel like to have him inside me, our bodies sweating together... My stomach began to flutter again and I shook my head, trying to snap myself out of it.
Pull yourself together girl, life isn't all about boys and you've got a chem test to study for.
Thinking of that, I decided a shower was in order. A cold one.
As I was towelling off my hair, I heard Matt's old pickup pull into the drive, threw on some clothes and went to meet him, running a comb through the damp strands.
"Hi Sis!" smiled Matt as he came through the front door, brown eyes shining with laughter. I wondered what got him in such a good mood on a workday, at least until Tomas came pushing through after him, hopping from one foot to the other.
"HeysisigottapeeheyGabe." He mumbled running for the bathroom.