The Perfect Spiral

“Alex, sweetheart. You can touch them if you want. They won’t bite,” Knox teased, his smirk as tantalizing as the bare, sweat-glistened abs he was offering up for my inspection.

He reached for my wrist, guiding my hand toward him. I hesitated, not because I hadn’t touched him before, but because I’d never touched him in the way he was suggesting now.

I tried to keep my gaze on my hand, but my eyes betrayed me, drifting upwards to his smooth, tanned chest. I watched the rise and fall of his breath, my gaze continuing up to his neck.

Suddenly, my skin made contact with his lower abdomen. My eyes shot back down to where my hand rested on him. He started to pull me closer, and my eyes darted back up to meet his light blue gaze.

His hair framed his face naturally, a light stubble prickling around his sharp jaw. Why am I thinking about him? I don’t even like him!

“Alex?” My gaze shifted down to his lips, and I shuddered as my name escaped them. He usually called me sweetheart or baby girl.

Only Alex when I’d really pissed him off. Wait! He’s pissed at me? Why the hell is he pissed at me?

“Alex! Wake up, you sleepyhead!” The rude interruption shattered my thoughts.

“Alex! Seriously, wake the hell up! We have twenty minutes to get to your hair appointment! If you don’t wake up in the next five seconds, I’ll pour this ice-cold water over you!”

Ugh! It was Andy, and I would expect nothing less from her. Wait, why was I dreaming of Knox?

“I’m up, I’m up,” I groaned out to her. The last thing I wanted was a cold water wake-up call. She’d done it before, so I rubbed my eyes open to see her fully dressed and hovering above me.

She straddled me and said, “Smile!” before snapping a picture of us in our compromising position.

“Who are you sending that to?” I asked, quirking my head to the left on the pillow.

“Wes, well... our WhatsApp group. He’s so much fun to tease! This will possibly send him over the edge! Mwahahaha!” she cackled, taking the evil laugh to a whole new level.

Chuckling at her antics, I grabbed my phone when it buzzed with the incoming message. The caption read, “We just couldn’t keep our hands off each other ;)”

A series of messages from Wes followed.

“Andy! Jesus, this is not happening!” I groaned at her while she climbed off me.

“Whaaaat? Just have a little fun with it, Al! Get you practicing for tonight. I am going to make you look super hot, like a short dress, boobs out hot. You have this surfer girl look and I intend to make it a sexy surfer girl look!” she winked at me. “But right now, you need to change.”

With that, I got up from my bed and walked into my bathroom for a quick shower. I hopped out and put on some clothes.

“Where are we heading to anyway?” I asked, pulling a loose blue jumper over my head that perfectly hung off my left shoulder, paired with my black skinny jeans.

As I put on my vans, she replied, “Sherman Oaks. It’s not too far away, about fifteen minutes. The salon is owned by my uncle. I’m also getting my hair done, but not colored.”

We walked out of my room, grabbed the keys from the bowl on the counter, and headed to the car.

Once we arrived at the salon, we were greeted by two young girls. “Which one of you is Anthony’s niece?” one asked. I pointed to Andy, who smiled at her.

She was led to the washing basin, while I was directed to a chair. I showed the stylist the picture of the hairstyle I wanted, and she assured me it would look great.

An hour later, I was still in the chair, my head full of foils, while Andy was finished. Her uncle, the salon owner, came over to greet us. He was incredibly nice and spoiled us rotten.

Andy twirled in her chair to face me. “What do you think? I’m in love with this cut. It feels so soft and looks so shiny!” she gushed, running her fingers through her hair.

“It’s gorgeous, doll! You should get it cut like that more often. The guys will be all over you tonight for sure,” I teased her.

She stood up, grabbed her bag, and announced she was heading to the mall. As she left the salon, she turned to me and asked, “Tacos or Chinese?”

I smirked at her through the mirror and said, “Surprise me.” She chuckled and left, the door chiming behind her.

I knew she was going to bring back Chinese food. It was my favorite.

An hour and a half later, I’m in the midst of a blow-dry, my long hair freshly trimmed. It’s still long, but not as long as it used to be, now resting just at the strap of my bra down my back.

The salon’s bell chimes again, signaling another customer’s arrival. It’s been a busy day, the bell ringing incessantly.

“Hey, bitch!” Andy saunters over to the chair I’m occupying. One of the girls fetches her a chair, as all the others are taken. “Here,” she hands me my food.

I open the container, and the tantalizing aroma of orange chicken with brown rice wafts up. I inhale deeply, grinning at her. “I knew there was a reason I loved you, girl!”

She rolls her eyes at me and bends down to rummage through the two shopping bags she’s brought.

“This bag is yours and this is mine,” she explains, pulling my bag onto her lap and digging through it to find what she’s bought to show me.

“So, I bought three dresses for you because I wasn’t sure what color you wanted to wear. There’s a red one, a violet one, and a yellow one,” she pulls them out one by one for me to see.

I pause mid-chew to examine them. The red one is incredibly sexy. Holy shit, could I pull that off?

“Yeah, I like the red one too,” she winks at me, holding it up in front of me as if she can already picture me in it.

The hairdryer shuts off as Carrie, my hairdresser, rushes off to get the curling iron. “I was thinking of pairing this with the black stilettos I have and smokey eye makeup, which I can do for you, doll, if you want?” she suggests.

“Andy, I don’t know if I can pull off a dress like that. Isn’t it a bit too sexy?” I ask, just as Carrie returns.

“Definitely sexy enough for you to pull off! Listen, honey, you’re twenty-three years old. Live it up a little, have your slutty nights out with your girls, break some hearts in the process!” she laughs, and we both join in.

My mind drifts back to Drew. He would never have let me wear anything like that.

I hesitate, looking at the dress dangling from Andy’s hands.

“Forget Drew! I know you’re thinking about him. If you wear this, he’ll instantly regret cheating on you. It’s his loss,” she says. I could really use a new Facebook profile picture. Oh, what the hell!

Smiling up at her, I agree to wear it for tonight. After we finish at the salon, we head straight back to our apartment to start getting ready for the night.

I know what you’re thinking—how long does it take a girl to get ready for a night out?

But Andy and I always play music while getting ready, and most of those hours are spent singing and dancing along while trying to perfect our makeup. At least our hair is done. I’m so in love with it.

It’s very light blonde at the ends, with my natural brown roots on top. I look so different, but in a good way. Let’s hope blondes do have more fun because I’m ready to let loose tonight.

“Look at you, blonde bombshell! All the guys are going to be crawling to get your attention tonight! You’re going to look so hot! I can’t wait to see their faces when they all see you!”

I slip my dress on over my head after doing my eye makeup and before I start my foundation, so it doesn’t smudge all over my dress.

The dress really shows off my tan, a result of my surfing escapades, and it hugs my figure in all the right places. It’s a little shorter than what I’m used to, but it’s very comfortable.

“Damn, girl! Where did those boobs come from?” she chuckles, and I roll my eyes at her, laughing. Both our phones buzz with a message, likely from Wes.

It’s a message with the party details. Andy replies, telling him we’re still on, but we might be a little late.

An hour, two tequila shots, and some beer later, we’re headed out the door, strutting down the hallway in our short dresses and heels. We look really hot tonight.

We take lots of photos of us in our dresses to update our profile pictures. I’ll upload mine in the morning when we’re lounging in bed.

We walk across campus to the house where the party is happening, passing the beer between us for sips.

There are a lot of catcalls thrown our way. “Hey, sexy, where’re you headed tonight?” one guy asks me.

I smirk and keep walking, leaving Andy trailing behind me, her jaw practically on the floor. I’m feeling unusually confident tonight. It’s the alcohol... definitely the alcohol.

“What the fuck, Al! Do you know who that was? That was Chase Radox, the first-string quarterback of this college! And you fucking walked away from him!”

I twirl around to see him still watching us and stop. “My name is Alex, not sexy, and the party’s this way, boys,” I wink and turn back to walk in the direction of the party.

“I have no idea why I just said that,” I confess to Andy, our eyes wide with surprise.

“We’ll be there in thirty... Alex!” he calls back, and I giggle at Andy. We both turn around to look at him but keep walking.

We reach a booming house with people everywhere outside. Andy pulls me aside to ask if I’m sure I want to go in. I reply with a definite yes.

She takes my hand in hers, and we confidently strut to the entrance of the house, the music’s beat vibrating on my skin as we approach. “Don’t go anywhere without me or Wes, got it!” she warns.

His words were more of a command than a query, but I found myself nodding in agreement. As we stepped into the pulsating house, all eyes were magnetically drawn to us. A chorus of “Dayuuum!” “Hello, sexy,” “Holy shit!” and a “Fuck me!” echoed around us.

With a playful sway in our steps, we exchanged amused glances, the testosterone-fueled crowd parting like the Red Sea to let us pass.

I wasn’t accustomed to this level of attention, but Andy reveled in it, as she always did. Andy was a magnet for male attention, thanks to her vivacious personality and undeniable beauty.

Spotting Wes in the crowd, we sauntered over. One of his friends slapped the back of his hand against Wes’s chest, pointing in our direction. Wes turned to see what had caught his friend’s attention and locked eyes with us.

His eyebrows shot up, a smirk playing on his lips as his gaze traveled up and down our bodies. When his eyes landed on my legs, they paused.

As we neared him, Andy pulled him into a hug, which he returned with enthusiasm. Then, he turned to me, pulling me into a warm embrace. His lips brushed against my ear as he murmured, “Look who’s all grown up. I love the new look, sweetheart. Is this dress for me? Your legs are to die for.”

I laughed, pulling back and rolling my eyes at him. The irony was that I’m quite petite—only five foot one—but my legs are toned from running, gym workouts, and surfing.

Growing up, I was a bit chubby, so compliments were few and far between, save for those from my mom and Eric. It’s a bit pathetic, I know. That’s why I’ve hidden all my childhood and baby photos.

“Do you guys want a drink?” Wes asked us.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us, Wes?” one guy asked, a playful smile on his lips as he took a sip from his beer bottle. He was attractive, and I found myself appreciating his looks. Maybe I was moving on from Drew faster than I thought.

“No,” Wes retorted, positioning himself between Andy and me, an arm draped over each of our shoulders as if we were his property.

“Come on, Wes, you can’t have them both,” the guy laughed, his gaze meeting mine as I assessed him.

“Watch me,” Wes retorted, leading us towards the kitchen where the drinks were.

“What do you guys want? Beer? Water? Punch?”

“Beer,” we both responded. He reached for two beers, popped the tops off, and handed them to us. I felt a hand rest on the small of my back and an elbow lean on the counter beside me.

Turning my head, I found the culprit was the guy Wes had been talking to earlier.

He pulled me a little closer, his blonde hair perfectly framing his tanned face. His lips were plump and inviting. He grinned when he noticed me looking at his lips, and I quickly met his gaze.

“I’m Jason,” he introduced himself with a smile.

“She’s Alex, Thompson,” Wes interjected.

“Thompson? As in Kyle Thompson’s sister?” Jason looked from me to Wes and back again.

I groaned inwardly at the mention of my older brother. Why did he have to know Kyle? I nodded in confirmation, and he cursed under his breath.

“Look, you’re hot and all, but I can’t risk getting my face bashed in by your brothers,” he said, disappointment etched on his face. I huffed and made my way back to Andy, who had been watching the exchange.

“Nice meeting you, Jason,” I called over my shoulder. He was staring at my ass and legs, groaning out loud and clenching his fists. Wes was smirking smugly at him.

“It’s a pity, really, because you look absolutely gorgeous tonight,” he said, returning to his seat. He looked back at me, raising his beer in a toast and forcing a smile.

I turned to Wes, who was once again admiring my legs. I slapped him on the chest, causing him to meet my gaze. That’s when I noticed Andy talking to a guy.

“Why did you tell him Kyle was my brother? You asshole! He was so hot and you cock blocked me!”

Wes grinned, stepping closer. “It’s for your own good, Al. Jay is an asshole, not me. He gets with girls, sleeps with them, and never talks to them again.”

“Isn’t that what you do, Wes?” I challenged. He looked away, sighing heavily.

“No, but he’s right though, you do look absolutely gorgeous tonight,” he said, leaning against the counter.

“So I’m ugly every other time you see me?... Wait... Are you flirting with me?” I scoffed sarcastically, pretending to be hurt by his words.

I knew I shouldn’t be flirting back. In fact, he shouldn’t be flirting with me at all. My brother would kill him. The high school version of me would be ecstatic right now.

He chuckled, taking a sip of his beer. “You could never be ugly, even if you tried, Alex. And yeah, maybe I am,” he shrugged, teasing me. I laughed at his words.

“You all made fun of me in high school and never let a guy come near me!” I reminded him, and he laughed out loud.

“That was all Knox. I had no say in that. I always thought you were pretty, Alex,” he said, causing me to roll my eyes and check if Andy had heard.

“Yeah, well, he was always a dick to me, still is. He always annoyed me, pushing my buttons on purpose. Did you get the magazines his mom sent?”

He looked at me, a puzzled expression on his face. “What magazines?” he asked, as I stepped a little closer to him.

“The ones he’s gracing the covers of? Delilah always sends me a few copies when he’s featured. He’s usually half-naked... now I understand why she didn’t send them to you. Your sister probably gets them from her.”

I threw my hands up in mock exasperation. He chuckled and said, “No, she doesn’t get any of those, Al. You must be in Delilah’s good graces,” he winked at me.

“Yeah... right.”

He tugged at my hand and said, “Come on, let’s go dance. I want to make all the guys jealous.” He pulled me along, a smirk playing on his lips.

This is the alcohol talking. I nudged Andy and mouthed dance floor to her. She nodded in agreement and brought the guy she was talking to along with her.

We made our way to the living room, which had been transformed into a makeshift dance floor. It was packed and humid, filled with the sights of everyone grinding on each other and girls jumping up and down with their girlfriends, screaming, “Oh my god, I love this song!”

I tried hard not to roll my eyes at them, but Wes caught on and laughed at me. “Hey Wes, wanna dance?” a girl asked him seductively. He smiled back, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“Sorry, Sasha, I’ve already got a dance partner.” I laughed out loud, earning a glare from her. We started to dance with each other, goofing around with the most cringe-worthy moves, until he pulled me closer as the song changed.

“Just move your hips,” he directed me, turning me around so my back was pressed against his chest. I saw Andy grinding really hard on the guy she was with and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Wes rested his chin on my shoulder and whispered, “Just move your hips like Andy is doing.” His hands were on my waist, guiding them from side to side.

His tone was so seductive that I was beginning to be turned on by it. I could feel his breath getting heavier on my shoulder and neck.

“Let loose, sweetheart, it’s just me,” he told me. His hands left my waist, but I grabbed them and put them back on my hips.

I really shouldn’t be doing this with my brother’s best friend, but it’s been a while since I’ve been touched like this, needed like this, wanted like this.

I started to grind up against Wes as if my life depended on turning him on.

“Fuck!” I heard him groan in my ear. I felt his arousal against me and it made me giggle. Maybe I had this effect on him, or maybe it was just the friction between us.

Maybe I should stop this before any more sexual tension builds up. “Wes, maybe we shou—” He turned me around to face him, lifted my arms, and placed them around his neck.

Fuck, I’m screwed. He looks so good in this dim lighting. As we continued to sway to the beat, he placed his hands on the small of my back. I closed my eyes to savor this moment because I knew it wouldn’t last.

“So beautiful,” he whispered more to himself than to me. I wouldn’t have heard it if we weren’t so close. I snapped my eyes open to see his gaze on me.

He sighed and closed his eyes, resting his head on mine. “I think we need to stop dancing before I do something that will land me in deep shit,” he said, opening his eyes to meet mine again.

“Like what?” I asked, breathless.

“Like...” he sighed again, “Like kiss you.” My eyes widened at his bold words.

“I too would like to avoid getting my face bashed in by your brothers, you know, bro code and all that,” he chuckled.

I rolled my eyes and laughed too. “What if I kissed you?” I proposed after a moment of silence.

“You’re not helping right now, but I’d happily kiss you back, Alex. But I’d still get beaten to a pulp by Kyle in particular, and I do like my face,” he joked.

Wes was absolutely gorgeous. He knew it but wasn’t arrogant about it. He was more playful about it than any of my brothers’ friends.

We stared at each other for what seemed like a moment. I’m going to be in deep shit. I tightened my grip around his neck, which made him pull me closer.

This was so wrong but felt so good. If I kissed him, he would be the second guy from my brothers’ friends I kissed.

Knox was the first guy I ever kissed, but it was a dare, so relax. Get him out of your head, Alex! I mentally shook my head to clear it. Wes is right in front of you... Hello?!?!

Tightening my arms even more, he slid his hands from my waist up towards the top of my back and pulled me closer. He wasn’t pulling away, which was a good sign. Maybe he wanted to kiss me as much as I wanted to kiss him?

“Alex, we shouldn’t—” he breathed out onto my lips.

“Wes, just kiss me,” I whispered back. Our noses were touching, and we stared at each other. I could see the hesitation in his eyes until a flash of resolve crossed his face.

His lips were on mine. The kiss was soft at first and so unexpected, but I silently screamed on the inside.

His hand gripped the back of my neck, pulling me closer. Tilting my head to the side, his tongue met my lower lip, requesting entrance. After a split second of hesitation, I opened my mouth for his tongue to explore.

Our tongues danced together, fighting for dominance. He let out a throaty moan, which turned me on even more.

I pushed myself up against him, his hand wandering down to cup my butt. I let out a gasp, while his other hand remained on my neck, gripping it passionately.

We pulled back for a few seconds, looking at each other. His fingers caressed the back of my neck.

“Nothing better than someone you like kissing you back,” he said with a smile that made my heart flutter. I pulled him down again, eager to feel the warmth of his lips against mine. He always knew just what to say.

Now I understood why all the girls he’d ever dated or kissed were so smitten with him. I couldn’t help but wonder, What is he like in bed?

He was such a good kisser. My first kiss, though, still held a special place in my heart. I was only nine, hiding in a closet with Knox, who was eleven. It was a dare, but it was magical.

Then, when I was fourteen and Knox was sixteen, we played spin the bottle. Fate—or rather, the spin of the bottle—forced us into a closet together for what was supposed to be seven minutes in heaven. But Kyle, ever the rule-bender, changed it to fifteen. He tried to switch it back to seven when Knox and I were chosen, but the other players wouldn’t have it. The rules were set in stone for everyone.

Knox and I shared a heated make-out session in that closet. It was as if neither of us wanted it to end. It left my stomach in knots, and we were both breathless when we finally pulled away, startled by a loud banging noise from outside the closet.

It was Kyle, practically dragging us out of the closet—the same closet where I’d had my first kiss with Knox. Oh my God, Alex! I scolded myself. ~Stop thinking about him, Jesus! Stay in the moment with Wes.~

Wes and I were frantically kissing, our heads moving from side to side. We broke off for a second, and Wes looked up and around before lifting me up slightly and pushing me up against the wall.

His lips met mine once again, and we continued our passionate make-out session. It was hot and heavy, and it was turning me on so much, especially when he let out those deep moans.

I don’t know how long we were kissing for, but our moment was interrupted by a voice. “Alex?”

We pulled away from each other hesitantly, our breaths coming in rapid gasps. My arms were still wrapped around his neck, while his hands were tangled in my hair and cupping my ass. We both turned to the side to see who had interrupted us.