Just A Kiss (Lyrics and Love Book 4) Read online

  JUST A KISS

  SAMANTHA LIND

  SAMANTHALIND.COM

  Just A Kiss

  Lyrics and Love Series Book 4

  Copyright Samantha Lind 2022

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, distributed, stored in or introduced into any information storage or retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic, photocopying, mechanical or otherwise, without express permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, story lines and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, events, locales or any events or occurrences are purely coincidental.

  Trademarked names appear throughout this novel. These names are used in an editorial fashion, with no intentional infringement of the trademark owner’s trademark(s).

  The following story contains adult language and sexual situations and is intended for adult readers.

  Cover Design by Oh So Novel

  Cover image from Deposit Photos

  Editing by Amy Briggs ~ Briggs Consulting LLC

  Proofreading by Proof Before You Publish

  Created with Vellum

  CONTENTS

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Epilogue

  Coming Soon

  Also By Samantha Lind

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  1

  ALLISON

  10 years ago

  Junior year of high school

  I sit at one of the many lunch tables filling the cafeteria, the one that my group of friends has claimed as ours over the last few years.

  “Ugh,” my best friend Lindsay says as she takes the seat next to me on the bench.

  “What’s wrong?” I ask as I take a bite from a chicken strip.

  “History class sucked. We had a pop quiz, and I don’t think I passed.”

  “I’m sorry, I hate it when Mr. Lead gives his pop quizzes. I swear he knows when we haven’t done our homework and are not ready for them.”

  “Right! Like, help a girl out. Oh, I forgot to tell you!” Lindsay says, smacking my arm in quick succession in her excitement.

  “What?” I ask, taking another bite.

  “I have a date for prom!” she practically shrieks.

  “With who? And when did this happen?” I ask, a little shocked.

  “Jimmy King asked me to be his date after first period,” she says.

  “Aww,” I coo. “You’re going to have a blast.”

  “Now we just have to find you a date.”

  “Maybe. I was kind of looking forward to just going as a group, but maybe,” I tell her honestly.

  “I’m sorry. Should I back out so we can just go as a group?” she asks.

  “No, it isn’t like we won’t see each other during the dance.”

  “Now I feel bad for saying yes so quickly.”

  “Don’t be. I’ll be fine,” I insist.

  “What about Lee? You guys have been quite flirty lately.”

  “Maybe,” I state as a group of our friends sit down, Lee and Jimmy being two of them.

  “Ladies,” Jimmy greets as he takes the seat on the other side of Lindsay.

  “I hear you’ve stolen my date for prom,” I tease Jimmy.

  “Sorry,” he says, almost question-like and without one ounce of apology.

  “You need a date to prom, Allison?” Lee asks from across the table.

  “Looks like I do,” I tell him, my stomach doing a little flittering when I look across the table at him. He’s got this swagger to him. One that says he knows he’s hot; he knows girls would fall at his feet if he’d give them a second of his time.

  “Would you go with me?” he asks, all nonchalant.

  “Are you serious?” I sputter in reply.

  “Yes…” he says, drawing out the word. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I was just caught off guard,” I tell him. “But I’d love to go with you.” I flash him a sincere smile and melt a little at the way his face lights up.

  “Oh-my-God!” Lindsay squeals and claps her hands together. “I’m so excited we’re all pairing off for prom! We need to go dress shopping this weekend!” she says.

  “Saturday work for you?” I ask.

  “Yes, I have to work in the morning, but afterward, I’m all yours.”

  “I think my parents were arranging for a limo for the night, so if everyone wants to come to my place, we can all ride together,” Lee says.

  “Sounds like a plan,” Jimmy replies.

  “I’ll be there,” Tucker, another one of our friends, also replies.

  “Who are you going with, Tucker?” I ask.

  “Not sure yet, but I’m sure I can find a date,” he says. He’s got that same swagger that Lee has, and I’ve seen him turn on the charm. He’d have a date before the school day is over if he wanted one.

  “That’s my boy!” Lee says as they do that hand slap-hug-back slap thing guys do.

  “I can’t believe prom is just two weeks away already. It is going to be so lonely around here next year when you guys are all gone.”

  “No, it won’t; y’all will be just fine being the rulers of the school,” Tucker tells us.

  I can’t help being slightly jealous Lindsay and I aren’t graduating this year, as well. We hope to go off to school together, maybe even rooming together if we’re lucky enough. We both want to go to school and get our nursing degrees, then come back home and work either in the hospital or for one of the many doctors' offices.

  The first bell rings, alerting us that it is time to clear out and head to our first class after lunch. We all say our goodbyes, parting ways until later. I practically float to my locker and then into my next classroom, knowing I’ll be going to prom with Lee freaking Crawford.

  Lee

  I straighten my collar, allowing me to button the top one up before wrapping the bow tie around my neck, securing it in place. Everyone should start arriving here shortly.

  “Need any help?” my mom asks, standing at my open doorway.

  “Sure,” I say, handing over the cuff links my dad let me borrow for today.

  Mom tugs my sleeves down, lining up the buttonholes before she slips the cuff links into them, securing them in place.

  “I can’t believe you’re so grown up. Heading out to your senior prom, about to graduate and head out into the world.” She sniffs, trying her damnedest to hold back her tears.

  “Not going far, Mom, you know that,” I remind her. Tucker and I plan to go to the fire academy in the fall.

  “I know, but it's still weird knowing that you’re about to move out on your own. I’ll miss you at the dinner table every night.”

  “If it's dinner that you’re worried about, I can make sure to be home every night for that,” I tease. Nothing in this world like my mom's cooking.

  “I definitely wouldn’t put it past you to do just that.” She laughs.

  “You know me, I’ll do just about anything for a free meal.” I wink at her.

  “I love you, son.” She pulls me into
a hug, and I go willingly. I tower over her, but she doesn’t care. I hold her tight against my chest. I’ve always had a great relationship with my parents. They’ve always been pretty chill. They set the rules, and as long as we follow them, they give us a lot of freedom.

  “Love you, too, Mom.” I kiss the top of her head, choking back my own tears.

  “Oh, a Momma Crawford sandwich,” Tucker says, coming into my room and wrapping his arms around my mother, trapping her between us.

  “You boys.” She laughs. “My life would be so empty without you.”

  Tucker steps back, allowing Mom to vacate her spot. She looks both of us up and down, tears rolling down her cheeks as she does. “I just can’t get over how grown the two of you are,” she says, patting us both on the chest.

  “Believe it, Momma Crawford. Before you know it, we’ll be grown men with families of our own,” Tucker says.

  “Speak for yourself, dude. I don’t plan on settling down anytime soon.”

  “I’m not saying tomorrow, but in the next five to ten years, I’ll bet you money that at least one of us has a wife and or kids.”

  “I’ll leave that domestic shit to you.”

  “Language!” Mom chides.

  “Sorry, ma’am.”

  “I’m going to leave you boys to finish getting ready. Just remember tonight is all about having fun, but not too much fun. We don’t need any babies coming as a result of the fun tonight.”

  We both watch Mom leave the room, a little slack-jawed at her comment.

  “Did she just say what I think she said?” Tucker asks, pointing to the doorway she just exited from.

  “Yep, so at this point, I won’t be shocked if she hands us condoms before we leave for the night.”

  “Dude.” He smacks my chest. “I can’t go there. I just can’t think of sex and your mom in the same thought. If she hands us condoms, all I’ll be able to think of when ripping it open is her saying not to make a baby tonight.”

  “Same,” I agree.

  Thankfully, we’re pulled from this awkward as fuck conversation by voices downstairs. We both grab our suit jackets and head downstairs, joining the rest of our friends who have shown up. I about swallow my tongue when I see Allison in her hot as hell dress. The slit up her left thigh has my dick twitching in my slacks. The way the top shows off the pillowy tops of her breasts has me wanting to lay my head on them and never leave. What I wouldn’t do to just tug that fabric down and suck on her nipples. I wonder if I could get her off just from nipple stimulation? I shake my head, needing to clear my thoughts from sex and a naked Allison before I’m pitching a tent in my pants and everyone knows where my thoughts are at right now.

  “Hi,” she shyly greets, coming to stand right in front of me.

  “You’re beautiful,” I tell her, reaching out and running a finger down her cheek, onto her neck, then across her collar bone. I stop myself from running it down over her breasts – one, because we have an audience, and two, because she isn’t mine. We aren’t dating, have never kissed, or even talked about anything like that. I just took a shot by asking her last week and was shocked when she agreed so quickly.

  “Thanks,” she says, blushing as her eyes drop down my body. “You clean up pretty well yourself.”

  “I try.”

  “Let's get all of you lined up for some pictures before the limo arrives,” Mom calls out.

  We all follow her outside, lining up as she instructs, taking hundreds of pictures for everyone’s parents. Our yard is a hopping place for the next half hour, but we all have a good time joking as we do as told.

  Once we’re all in the limo, I clear my throat, getting everyone’s attention on our way to dinner. “I’d like to make a toast, of sorts,” I say, holding up one of the small water bottles the limo company places in the back for guests. “To a night of fun, let's end this year on a high note. Stay safe, everyone.”

  “Hell yes!” a few of the guys call out.

  As the opening chords of Just the Way You Are by Bruno Mars starts over the PA system, I tug Allison out onto the dance floor. I’ve been itching to get my hands on her body all night. We’ve held hands, and she was pressed to my side in the limo, but I want to keep her in my arms. Feel her body pressed against mine.

  “Having fun?” I ask once we’ve found a spot to start swaying together. She’s wrapped her arms up and around my neck while mine are firmly on the small of her back. There’s only an ounce or so of space between our bodies, something I hope to close as the night goes on.

  “Of course, and you?” she asks.

  “The best,” I tell her honestly. “Only one thing that would make it better,” I find myself saying.

  “What’s that?” she asks before biting her bottom lip slightly.

  “If I was kissing you right now.”

  “What’s stopping you?”

  “Nothing, now.” I lean down, tentatively swiping my lips across hers. She tugs me closer, and I take advantage. I bring my hands up to cup her cheeks, angling her head ever so slightly, which allows me to deepen the kiss. She opens to me instantly, and the sparks I feel are life-changing. Why did I wait so long to take this girl out? I’ve only crushed on her for the last two years.

  “Wow,” Allison says when we break apart. She presses her fingers over her kiss-swollen lips, and I can’t help but be proud of the fact that I’m the reason they’re so swollen. “That was…” She trails off.

  “The best first kiss ever,” I finish for her.

  “Yes,” she agrees.

  2

  ALLISON

  Present day

  I plop down on my couch, a glass of wine in one hand and a warm, gooey brownie in the other.

  “Ugh, today sucked,” Lindsay says, joining me on the couch with her own brownie and glass of wine.

  “You can say that again. I don’t think I ever had a break. I’m shocked that I even had time to pee.”

  “Same, girl. I think I’m going to sleep straight through these next three days off.”

  “I wish. I’ve got shit to get done that I keep putting off,” I tell her. “I also kinda want to go out dancing tomorrow night. Blow off some steam; what do you say we go hit up ladies' night?”

  “I could probably be talked into it,” Lindsay says.

  “It’s a date, then.”

  “Is this a-dance until you find a cute guy that will take you home and rock your world kind of night-, or just a go have fun and come home alone to your vibrator kind of night?” Lindsay asks.

  “I haven’t decided. I wouldn’t turn away some good dick right about now. Maybe that is what I need in this lonely life of mine.”

  “You and me both, sister.”

  “The single life is for the birds. We need to do something about this sad state of our lives,” I say.

  “Why do all the good ones have to be taken already? I don’t need just another fuck boy,” Lindsay adds.

  “Amen to that. What’s the likelihood we both find that before kissing another hundred frogs?”

  “Put that shit out in the universe, and we’ll manifest it.”

  “Universe, if you’re listening, I want a man who isn’t into playing games, has a slightly larger than average dick, and knows how to use it, along with his tongue, if I’m allowed to be specific. One that wants a long-term commitment, a family down the road, hell, even the white picket fence, and a dog or two. One that has a full-time job and preferably doesn’t live in his parents' basement. Oh, and six foot-plus and fit. Thank you, universe,” I project my wishes.

  “Nice,” Lindsay says.

  “Now, it's your turn. Let's manifest this shit.”

  “Universe, I’d like a family man, one who’s more interested in coming home every night than hitting the bar. Someone who knows how to treat a woman, yet is freaky in the bedroom. I’m not too picky on height, just as long as he’s my height or taller. Someone that can hold me tight in his arms, protect me when needed, be my strength when I need it, y
et allow me to be his when he is the one in need.”

  “Damn, girl, I hope for the both of us that this works. We both deserve it so much.” I pull my bestie into a side hug. We both stay leaning against one another as we finish off our glasses of wine.

  “I guess I should head home,” Lindsay says, stretching before she stands up. “I’m turning off my alarms, silencing my phone, and sleeping in as late as my body will let me.”

  “That sounds like the best plan.” I follow her to the door. She slips her sandals on, then gives me a hug before heading out the door. “I’ll text you once I’m up, and we can make plans for Joe’s tomorrow night.”

  “Sounds good!” she calls back before disappearing down the hall.

  I close the door, flipping the deadbolt before heading back into my living room. I collect our dirty glasses and trash, taking everything into the kitchen. I clean up the few things that are out, starting the dishwasher so that I don’t have to do it tomorrow. I pour the last glass of wine from the bottle into my glass, then toss the bottle into the recycling bin.

  With the kitchen clean, I take my wine with me and head for my bedroom. A nice relaxing bath after a long-ass shift in the ER is calling my name. I turn on the water, letting the tub fill with hot-steamy water. Once it is high enough, I kick on the jets and toss in some soothing bath salts before stripping from my scrubs. I snag my kindle from my nightstand, placing it on the little tray that fits across my tub that Lindsay got me for Christmas last year. It has a tiny slot to hold up a book or, in my case, my kindle, and a place for my drink. No spilling is happening tonight. I also reach into one of the vanity drawers, grabbing one of my little waterproof vibrators. With the spice level of my current read, it wouldn’t surprise me if I needed to take care of business while in the tub.