funnel cakes wafts through the air along with the scent of her shampoo again. I bury my nose in the top of her head as we wait in line and plant a kiss there. The streets are filled to capacity, and all I want to do is be alone with Cat again and soon. It’s like now that I’ve finally let her in, I can’t get enough. Cat is a buzz of caffeine through my veins, a jolt of lightening to my brain. I’m finally awake and aware of the life that’s been happening around me while I slept in that damn coma of heartache for so long.
She orders beignets from a French bakery stand, and Mia finally texts back. They are in line for one last ride. She asks that we meet them by the Zippo. Cat takes me by surprise as she pops a beignet in my mouth covered in powdered sugar. I bite down on the pillow of softness and think about how it compares to her plush lips. She sweeps her lips across mine and cleans a stray plume of sugar from the edge of my lip. My body aches to be closer to Cat, and I hate that she pulls away a second later.
A local band is playing Zydeco music as we pass by. Cat pulls me in for a closer look and then onto the dance area marked out with a rope line. She moves against me, teasing me with her soft silky dress and her skin now set to fire under this Texas heat wave.
“You are not like anyone I've ever known,” I whisper next to her cheek. She replies with a coy smile that is my undoing.
I crash my lips over hers and pour out a kiss so sweet and pure she won’t think twice about my past or the certainty of our future. Her body sinks into mine, and my hands rub along her back aching to touch her bare skin. I finally manage to pry my body off of hers, which wasn't an easy task.
“I think we'd better get my sisters before they spot a skinny jean wearing cowboy-wanna-be and Face time stalk him.”
“ Your sisters deserve more credit than you give them. They are actually quiet demur when the opposite sex is concerned.” I let her have her point. Little does she know I know those girls are hiding far more than they let on. They are sneaky little things, and I probably should have kept more of an eye on them tonight. They are starting to have a figure, and if I'm noticing, I'll bet the farm other boys their age are too.
Mia and Maci spot us as they get off the ride. Their hair is windblown and wild. It makes me and Cat laugh as they walk over to us.
“What are you wearing? Oh my gosh! Let's get out of here before someone sees me with you dressed like that!” Mia's words bursts out sounding genuinely concerned that the fashion police exist and are on their way.
“ So did you kiss her yet?” Maci chimes as she approaches. I cringe not knowing where this girl gets her manners from.
“ If I did, do you think it would be very gentlemanly of me to tell you?”
“ Geesh! You sound like Dad.”
I take Cat's hand and that buzz surges between us like the low hum of a bug zapper waiting for any form of life to pass through the barrier. The charge is building, and it feels like my blood is set to effervescent. I rub small circles over her shoulder as we drive just to have an excuse to touch her.
The girls fall asleep on the way home, and I stop by the house to drop them off before I take Cat home. Mia secretly likes to be carried inside and acts like she's dead to the world when the truck reaches the house. Maci groggily treads up the stairs and to her room. I hike the ninety pound girl over my shoulders as if she were a bale of hay and carry her up to her room and ease her onto the bed. “Night sis.” She kicks off her flip flops, and I cover her with the blanket. She used to always try and sneak in my bed when she was three and four. I always wondered why it was me and not Maci. I miss these shared moments of little joys we had together.
I pop in my room for a moment and grab a few foil packages just in case. Not that I expect anything will happen tonight, but I'd rather be prepared if it does begin to sway