Make It Last

  “We can’t have sex on the street,” he said.

  “Let’s go behind the store then, Colin.” She said, bringing their hands to her lips and kissing his fingers. “I want you outside.”

  Colin looked as though he’d been knocked upside the head. He threw her over his shoulder, then carried her around the corner to where his truck was parked and lowered the tailgate.

  He placed her down on the edge, unbuttoning her pants, pulling them swiftly down her legs and throwing them to the ground. Her panties went next.

  She grabbed him by the waistband and unzipped his jeans, pushing them down roughly, signaling for him to take them off. Colin needed no such urging and pushed them down his legs.

  Briana wanted him so badly that she was losing patience. She scooted up to meet him and put her hand through the flap of his boxer briefs. She pulled his penis out and pressed the tip against her, eager to have him fill her.

  “Wait,” he said roughly, coming to his senses long enough to bend down to his jeans and pull out a condom.

  She grinned, “You’re optimistic.”

  He chuckled as he put on the protection. Once he was ready, he pulled her to him in a passionate kiss. He stroked her lips with his tongue, then bit her gently, before claiming her mouth.

  He placed his hands under her bottom as he entered her, and held her in place as he thrusted. She held onto his shoulders, kissing, licking, and sucking any part of him that she could reach.

  When the pressure began to build, she leaned her upper body back, causing her lower body to press even deeper against him. He thrust faster and she came apart, moaning softly and driving him over the edge with her.

  Briana lay back in the bed of the truck, panting, and started to laugh. Colin looked up from where his head rested on her stomach.

  “What’s so funny?” he asked with a smile.

  “I can’t believe we just did that.”

  “I know. Who knew you were such a deviant?”

  She slapped him playfully on the back. “Shut up.”

  He scooted off of her and pulled his pants up, handing her her clothes. Then they raced up the stairs to his house, laughing at their brazen behavior all the way.

  It didn’t take long for them to fall asleep once they made their way to his bed. Briana snuggled into his side and didn’t move all night.

  She woke to Colin kissing the tip of her nose, and she smiled up at him, thinking how happy she was in that moment.

  “You’re off today, right?” he asked.

  “Yes, off today, back on schedule tomorrow,”

  “Do you wanna spend the day together?”

  “Absolutely.”

  He kissed her nose again. “Let me go grab a quick shower, then I’m taking you to breakfast.”

  “Sounds good,” she said, stretching languidly and looking up at him with a smile as he watched the sheet slip from her body. “I’ll go make some coffee.”

  He growled and lifted the sheet to cover her back up. “It’ll be the quickest shower ever.”

  She laughed as he raced out of the room.

  Throwing on her clothes from the night before and wandered out in search of coffee.

  She’d just hit the brew button when someone started pounding on the door. She heard the water running in the shower, so she went and opened the door.

  Standing on the other side was a very tan, very pretty, very annoyed looking girl.

  “Is Colin here?” she asked, seeming irritated that Briana answered the door and not Colin.

  Briana crossed her arms over her chest and frowned.

  “Who are you?” she asked. Not liking the feeling of jealousy that boiled in her gut.

  “I’m Shawn. Who’re you?”

  “Briana.”

  “Oh…figures. I’ve heard about you,” she said with a smirk.

  “Funny,” Briana spat back, “I’ve never heard of you.”

  “Was that fast enough?” Colin asked as he came out of his room wearing only a pair of unbuttoned shorts.

  He stopped in his tracks when he saw who stood at the door. “Shawn, what are you doing here?” he asked, coming up behind Briana and putting his arms around her.

  Briana wrapped her arms around his, grateful for his thoughtfulness. He probably knew that she’d be upset, and was showing her and the tanning bed victim at the door, that he was one hundred percent with her.

  “I tried emailing you and texting you, but you ignored me. I figured if I showed up in your little town, you’d be forced to deal with me.” Shawn explained.

  “We ended it back at school. I ignored you because we have nothing left to say to each other.”.

  “Maybe you were just busy hooking up with an old flame.” She replied, not hiding her derision as she looked Briana up and down.

  “What do you want, Shawn?” Colin asked, his tone conveying his impatience.

  Shawn brushed past them and walked into the living room, forcing them to move aside and follow her in. She walked into the kitchen and came back out a few seconds later with a cup of coffee in her hand.

  “Make yourself at home,” Briana said sarcastically.

  “Thanks, I will.”

  “What is this, Shawn?” Colin asked again, running his hands through his still damp hair. “You need to just leave.”

  Shawn smiled over the rim of her cup, obviously enjoying the tension she was causing.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  It was like a bomb had been dropped in the center of the living room. Colin exhaled and crumpled down onto the couch. He looked at Shawn in disbelief.

  Briana couldn’t think, couldn’t process. She went with her first instinct, turning on her heel, and walking out the door.

  When she reached the other side, she stopped and leaned back against it. It was silent. Then she heard the faint sounds of Colin and Shawn talking inside.

  Shawn was pregnant.

  Briana closed her eyes and thought about what this meant. She knew Colin, so she knew that he would do the right thing, which meant he would help Shawn with this baby.

  She knew that he had feelings for her, and didn’t have feelings for Shawn, so she didn’t think that he would offer to marry Shawn, but she supposed there was always that chance.

  Could she handle it if he chose to marry Shawn?

  Yes, but she really hoped that didn’t happen.

  Could she handle being with Colin as he went through Shawn’s pregnancy, then as he helped raise a child with her, if he didn’t marry her?

  She thought that she could.

  She breathed deeply in and out, trying to clear her head, and calm her shaking body.

  She knew that what she and Colin had was special, and she wasn’t willing to walk away without letting him know that she was going to stick with him no matter what. She knew what she had to do.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Colin sat in silence, his head in his hands, trying to make sense out of what Shawn had just said.

  “We always used protection,” he said quietly, unable to accept her declaration as the truth. “Are you sure it’s mine?”

  “Fuck you,” Shawn replied, finally losing the smirk that had donned her face since her arrival. “You know I never cheated on you, and I haven’t started seeing anyone new… yet.”

  “I thought you said you were on the pill, and we used condoms. I just don’t get it.” He hung his head, shaking it as he tried to come to terms with yet another life changing event.

  This didn’t have to ruin his plans, he assured himself as it sank in. He could be a coach and help Shawn raise their child. People did it every day.

  When he looked up, Shawn was staring at him as she drank her coffee, studying him as if his every thought played across his face.

  “All right,” he said loudly, as if speaking at a higher volume would convince him that everything would be okay.

  Before he could finish his thought, Briana came storming back in the door. He was surprised at the relief he felt
at seeing her. She walked over to him and sat down, putting her arm around his shoulder.

  “Are you okay?” he asked, kissing her lightly on the cheek and brushing her hair back from her face.

  She nodded, closing her eyes briefly at his touch.

  “I just needed some air,” she explained, giving him a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  Colin held her gaze and tried to convey his feelings for her. He hoped that she trusted him enough to understand what he was about to say to Shawn.

  Then he looked at Shawn again. She looked very annoyed at having to wait for him to respond to her little bombshell.

  “All right,” he began again. “I’ll help you with whatever you need. I’ll be there with you through the pregnancy. I’m sure we can get you a place here if you want to be close until you have the baby. Then I’ll share joint custody with you and help you raise the baby. I’ll help with expenses and be a part of his or her life in every way possible.”

  He turned back to Briana, to see if she was freaking out at what he’d just said, but she nodded and held her hand out for him to hold. She squeezed it and relief flooded through him.

  She was going to stick with him.

  He noticed that Shawn still hadn’t said anything. She was staring at him with her mouth open, as if surprised by what he’d said.

  “Have you lost your mind?” she sputtered, putting the coffee cup down with a thud. “You actually think I’m going to keep this baby? You think I’m going to ruin my body for some washed up loser? No. I plan to marry someone who can take me places, and that won’t happen with a snot nosed brat at my hip.”

  “What are you talking about, Shawn? Why are you here then?”

  “I’m going to have an abortion,” she stated coldly. “I want you to pay for half.”

  Colin stood up and faced her, his face turning red with anger. “And that’s it? You tell me that you’re pregnant with my kid, but I don’t get any say in whether it lives or dies?”

  “It’s my body, Colin. The decision is mine.”

  “Why’d you have to come here then?” he asked, his anger fading to sadness. “Why’d you even tell me about the baby if you never had any intention of keeping it?”

  “I thought you should know,” she said smugly. “You’re just as responsible for this happening as I am, so you should pay half.”

  Briana couldn’t stay quiet any longer. She stood up and got in Shawn’s face. “So you agree that he is partly responsible for this baby, but you don’t agree that he should have a say in what happens with the baby, is that right?”

  “Yup,” Shawn responded. She put her finger in Briana’s face. “You, however, have no say in any of this, so why don’t you sit your ass down?”

  “Hey,” Colin exclaimed, stepping in front of Briana to block her. “Don’t talk to her like that. You’re the one who is unwelcome here, so how about you tell me what you want and get out?”

  “I made an appointment for next week. I just need you to send your half of the money to this address.” Shawn handed him a business card. “All of the information is on the back.”

  “I’ll take care of it. Now please, just go.”

  Shawn did as he requested and left as quickly as she’d arrived.

  He walked back into his room and lay down on the bed, wondering how he’d ever recover from this latest development in his life.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Briana followed him and lay down next to him, cradling his body with hers.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  He turned to face her, his eyes glistening as he spoke. “I’m not mad at her for her decision. She never wanted to have kids, I get that. But for one moment there, I was a father, and I found the possibility…exciting.”

  She pulled his head to her breast and caressed his hair, letting him come to terms with the loss of a precious thing that he’d never really had. She couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened to their relationship if Shawn had been there to tell Colin that she was keeping the baby.

  Briana was positive that he would be an amazing father. Although she knew that she wanted to focus on school and wasn’t ready to have a child of her own, she didn’t think that Colin having a child would have effected them negatively.

  She had to admit that seeing the way he’d reacted to Shawn’s news had really made her proud, and nothing could have endeared him to her more.

  More than she ever had before, she loved the man he was today.

  I love Colin, she thought to herself, the smile building until it took over her face.

  She continued to play with his hair until he fell in to a light sleep, then hugged him to her and wondered what their future would hold.

  When Briana went to work the next evening, she was happy to see Roni and Nicole manning the hostess stand.

  “Hey, Roni. It looks like you got the job. Congratulations.”

  “Thanks, Bree,” Roni responded with a smile. “I appreciate the hook up. Nicole was just explaining everything to me before she goes to train with Kara. I think this will be fun.”

  “Remember you said that in a few weeks, when you want to kill me for getting you into this,” Briana said with a chuckle as she walked towards the back. She noticed Kent sitting at the bar and wondered how long he’d been there. He looked like he was pretty hammered.

  She went back to put her things down, and noticed that she had a text from Colin.

  “Bree, I know I said this already, but you’re so amazing. It really means a lot that you were there for me yesterday. That was the craziest moment of my life, and you being there made it much more bearable.”

  Briana smiled to herself and replied, “Anytime. Really. I’m happy that I was there. I’ll talk to you after work.”

  She put her phone away and figured that she’d better man up and go out there and talk to Kent. She really did want to remain friends with him. She knew she wouldn’t be able to handle it if he hated her. He just meant too much.

  She approached Kent and leaned against the bar next to him. “Hey, Kent,” she said softly. “How’s it going?”

  He peered at her with bloodshot eyes. He looked like he hadn’t shaved in over a week, and he may not have showered in just as long.

  “Hey, Babe,” he slurred. “You coming back?”

  Briana felt sad in the pit of her stomach, unable to believe that he was this affected by her rejection. She knew that he liked her, but thought it was more of a passing fancy.

  “No, Kent. I’m sorry. Why don’t you put the drink down and go home and get some rest?”

  His face went from hopeful to angry. “How ‘bout you mind your own business?”

  Nicole came up and stood in between Briana and Kent. “Is everything okay here, Bree?” she asked, looking pointedly at Kent.

  Before Briana could answer, Kent reached up and snagged Nicole by her waist, pulling her into his side and squeezing her tightly.

  “See, Bree? I don’t need you, either. There are other girls who are more than happy to take your place.” Kent leaned forward and tried to kiss Nicole, grabbing her bottom and trying to hold her to him.

  She smacked him and pulled away. “Stop it, Kent. Don’t act like this,” Nicole pleaded.

  “C’mon, Nic, don’tchyawanna hang out with me?” He gave her a bleary smile and tried to give her a pinch.

  Her face flashed with hurt and embarrassment before turning to anger. “I’m not going to be one of your rebound girls, Kent.”

  Then she turned and stormed off into the back of the restaurant.

  Briana looked at Kent, who stared after Nicole with a confused look on his face.

  “I wasn’t trying to make her mad,” he said.

  Briana turned as Rich walked up beside them.

  “Why don’t I give you a ride home, Bro?” he asked Kent, putting his hand on the other man’s shoulder.

  Kent looked up at Rich and let him help him up off of the stool. “Hey, Rich. You don’t thi
nk Nic’s mad at me, do ya? I was just messin’ around.”

  Rich grunted under the weight of the larger man and responded, “Nah, man. I’m sure she’s okay. Let’s get you home.”

  “Thanks, Richie,” Briana said as they walked towards the exit.

  “No problem, Bree,” Rich responded with a wink.

  Roni came up and put her hand on Briana’s arm before Briana could walk into the kitchen.

  “Don’t take it personally, Bree,” Roni implored. “It’s not just you that has him upset, so please don’t feel bad. There’s some stuff going on with our parents, and Kent hasn’t gotten any of the job offers that he was hoping for…all of that on top of what he sees as your rejection has just become too much for him. He’s going to be fine, he always is. He’s always been the strong one in our family. He just needs a little time to pull himself together.”

  “Okay, Roni. Thanks” Briana said, instinctively pulling the other girl in for a quick hug. “Let me know if you need anything, okay?”

  “Sure,” Roni said with a smile, then went back to the hostess stand to wait for the dinner rush to start.

  Briana went back to check on Nicole before getting the kitchen set up the way she liked it. Nicole said that she was fine, that Kent had just surprised her, but Briana could tell by the look on Nicole’s face that there was more to it than that. It was obvious that Nicole didn’t want to talk about it anymore, so Briana didn’t press her.

  Once the dinner rush started, she was happy to be in the weeds. With all of the drama going on recently, it was nice to just cook and not have to think about anything..

  Kara came in and out with Nicole, explaining the process of putting in the order, checking back on it and sometimes getting the condiments ready. Nicole seemed a little frazzled, but Briana was sure it was just first night jitters.

  When it was time for her break, Briana went out on the floor to see how things were going. Roni was working her way through the crowd with a table of four, Kara and Nicole were waiting on a group of rowdy guys, and Briana noticed Rich and Colin sitting at the bar.