Page 62 of Dirty

“I was.”

“Can you give a description?”

“Sorry,” I said. “Everything happened so fast.”

“Bald, blonde, shaggy hair, crewcut, short, tall, tattoos, Hispanic, African American, White--”

“It was a big blur.” I shrugged. “I’m sorry.”

“Appreciate your time, Alexandra.” He nodded and then looked at my mother. “I’ll be in touch if I need anything else.”

She followed him to the door and shut it behind him after he left. As she turned the lock, I slumped into the couch cushion.

“Jesus. That was nerve-racking.”

“Do you think he believed you?”

“No. I’m sure he didn’t. But there’s us, the girls who were there, and them, the guys who saved us. We’ve all got the same story. The rest of the people involved are dead. He can wonder all he wants, but he’s never going to find out the truth.”

If he did, we were all screwed.

SEVENTEEN

Cholo

I felt like I was walking into an ambush. I came over the hill and glanced toward the house. As always, Alexandra was standing on the porch with her hands in her pockets, facing in my direction. I twisted the throttle back and sped toward the driveway fighting not to show up wearing an ear-to-ear grin.

I hung my helmet on the handlebars and pulled my cap from between my legs. After tugging it down on my head, I stepped off the bike and brushed the wrinkles from my jeans.

Halfway to the porch she met me with a kiss.

I’d never enjoyed kissing women. Although I had, it was primarily something I either did while drunk, or immediately prior to their departure after a weekend fling. There had never been any meaning behind the kisses, and certainly no feelings attached with them.

Kissing Alexandra was different. I fully understood, even after the first kiss, how powerful a kiss could be. The emotion that rushed through me when we kissed was reason enough to do it again, and again.

As our lips parted, I wondered if she felt the same emotion.

I glanced toward the front door and noticed it was pulled closed. I looked at her. “Is she here?”

She nodded. “She’s inside.”

“Do uhhm. When we…when we kiss,” I stammered. “Does it make you feel rubber-legged?”

She dragged her fingers through her hair, pinning it behind her ears. Her head tilted to the side. “Rubber-legged?”

Her hair looked good behind her ears, but I tried not to stare. I looked down at the tips of my shoes. “Yeah.”

“You’re cute.”

I looked up. “I’ll take that as a no.”

She shoved her hands back into the pockets of her shorts and twisted her hips back and forth. I grinned at her nervous behavior as I continued to watch her with eager eyes.

“It makes me feel wonderful,” she said. “My knees quiver and goosebumps come up on my arms.”

“Good. I was hoping I wasn’t alone.”

“You’ve never felt…are you not a big kisser?” she asked.