Rev Girl (6 page)

When Dallas recognised the attention he was getting from every girl in the bleachers, he looked up, and she could have sworn that his eyes hadn't met with Dee Harding, or head cheerleader ‘Barbie's', but with hers. Never in a million years did she think she would
actually
speak to him, let alone get a date. And now, here she was.

The sound of Dallas's deep voice brought her back to the present, ‘So, did you really live in an igloo, back in Canada?' Dallas asked, grinning as he turned onto the highway.

‘I did.' She smiled slightly, and shook her head. Dallas was a hockey player. He knew about Canada. ‘It was super annoying how my ass cheeks always got stuck to my bed, though. No mattresses up past the border.'

Dallas blurted with laughter. ‘My uncle says the same thing. He's got a cattle ranch up there, near Black Diamond. My grandad lives there, too.'

‘Really? We used to live really close to there.'

‘We Cash men seem to have a thing for Canadians,' Dallas said. He cleared his throat. ‘You must be looking forward to getting out Camp Shitty's the first party I'd seen you at.'

‘Yeah … ' Clover shrunk with embarrassment. ‘I've been busy.'

‘Not a bad thing, I guess. Bet your racing keeps you busy?'

‘Probably not as busy as your hockey.'

‘I say it's time for the both of us to have some fun, then.'

Dallas un-clicked her seatbelt and pulled her into the middle seat, tucked her under his arm. She couldn't look away from his face, his eyes. She fit so well under his arm. ‘You really are cool, you know that, Kassedy? I've never gone out with a girl like you,' he said, squeezing her against his chest. ‘I usually only look forward to one thing man, I can't believe I'm saying this to you!'

Clover tensed in her seat, as butterflies rushed around in her stomach and shot down her thighs. His honesty was dangerously charming. She wondered if he knew what she was feeling.

Dallas smiled at her reaction. ‘But now I can't believe that I'm about to say this now, I know we'll actually have some fun before we get to that. That is, if you want to?'

Clover and Dallas walked hand-in-hand out of theatre number four of Denver's Star Cinema. Both their faces were pale and Clover was numb and cold. No action movies had been playing, so Clover had suggested the latest horror flick. Seemed the cool thing to do.

‘I'm sorry you were freaked out,' Dallas said.

‘It was my own stupid fault,' Clover said. ‘At least I could cover my eyes when it got really bad.'

‘Did you see any of it?'

‘Don't tell anyone, okay? I'm supposed to be a fearless biker.'

Dallas laughed. ‘Our little secret. But I gotta admit, for a dirt bike racer, you're not very tough.'

‘I am when you give me a bike and a track.'

‘I don't know any other girl who wouldn't find tearing around on a dirt bike scarier than some movie.'

‘I'm not most girls.'

‘You certainly aren't.'

Dallas followed her onto the escalator, leading down to the foyer of the cinema, which was packed. There were lines four and five deep for each ticket kiosk and the food stands. The games arcade was flooded, a carnival of sound spilling out into the cavernous foyer.

Dallas's arms fell around her neck, his hands resting against her bra. She could feel his heart beat, making her warm, hot now.

‘I would have liked to take you to my place,' Dallas said. ‘I bet Dad would say that you're the right kind of girl for me to bring home.'

He must have felt her surprise, and his face flushed, just a fraction.
Is this Dallas Cash embarrassed?
She'd never seen anything so adorable.

Dallas was quick to recover, like a pro at hiding his true feelings, and intentions. ‘Yeah, Dad brought home
Thor
the other day, he loves that freakin' movie so much, it's hilarious.'

Clover was very aware of his hands. So close to her nipples.

‘That woulda been cool,' she said. ‘I love that movie. Chris Hemsworth's a … a really good actor.'

Dallas's body moved back from hers, just a fraction. ‘What, you got a thing for Aussies, Miss Kassedy?'

‘Um, well.'
Be yourself, remember.
‘Their accent's pretty cool.'

‘Oh.' His tone was even frostier than disappointed.

She spun around and looked at him from beneath her dark eyelashes. ‘But it's not as cool as yours, though Col-lo-RAD-ian.' She slid her hands up his chest. ‘And nothing beats a good set of pecs.' She smiled cheekily, and, realising the escalator was about to disappear into the floor, jumped down to avoid tripping over the last step. She landed, sure-footed, on the metal platform at the bottom.

Dallas grabbed her hands and as soon as they were away from the crowds, pulled her around a corner, and lifted her arms up around his neck. ‘Where were we?' he said, running his eyes down her body.

Clover's head was as light as a balloon, she was so happy. The stubble of his cheek was so near to her lips.

Dallas slipped his hands up the back of her leather jacket and pulled her against his chest.

Their lips met, lightly at first, an exploration.

He tightened his grip on her lower back, and then kissed her again.

Her fingers crept up the back of his neck, grabbing at his hair involuntarily.

He pulled away to kiss her cheek, and ran a finger gently down her earlobe, then whispered, ‘You're in big trouble, Miss Kassedy.'

She willed her heart to stop racing, her pulse to slow enough to choke out some form of cool retort, instead settling for a broad, soporific smile. She had never imagined that kissing a guy could feel like that
.

He lowered his head and turned as if to kiss her neck. ‘Wouldn't you like to know why you're in trouble?'

‘Uh-huh.'

‘You're in trouble, girl, because I know that you think you want to be good.' He kissed her on the nape of her neck. Her body responded in spite of herself, and he took this as an answer in itself. ‘But I know for a fact that you want to be bad.'

‘We'll just see about that.' Clover grinned as she swiped his car keys from his pocket and flipped out of his arms. ‘I'll drive, thanks!'

★

Clover and Dallas were kissing feverishly as they fell through the wide front door of the Kassedy's house, oblivious to the blast of freezing night air accompanying them as they crashed into the wall opposite the front door.

Dallas's fingers found their way up under Clover's jacket and shirt and traced a few rings around her belly button, before heading beneath the buckle of her belt, and pausing just above the top line of her thong. His cool fingers were soothing against her burning skin, but the chill was enough to get her attention. She summoned the last few drops of moral decency to dislodge Dallas's hands and push him hard against the swinging door. It shut with a loud
bang
.

‘Hey,' she said. ‘We really need to talk.' She'd managed to get through two dates, including dinner after watching one of his home games, but had only just escaped with her pants on.

Dallas stopped her words with the palm of his hand, and then slipped it back under her jacket, onto her belly.

‘Ah, ah, ahhh no you don't!' Clover grabbed him by the hands.

He let her pin him against the door.

‘There's something I've gotta say.'

‘So say it.'

Her stomach tensed as Dallas pulled one of his hands free, and burrowed it up under her jacket, and bra. Clover yanked his hand out and pinned it beside his head, jumping back, with her palms facing out in self-defence. Dallas crossed his arms and rested back, wearing an ‘I-know-I'm-gonna-get-my-way' look that drove Clover to distraction. ‘Okay, Miss Kassedy,' he said. ‘You have the floor.'

She squared her shoulders. ‘Okay, well … ' She hadn't had time to consider exactly what form this totally awkward talk should actually take. She only knew how much she liked this perfect guy and that she needed to draw the lines, as much for herself as for him, like, right away. She was pleased to be seeing a boy behind her parents' backs that was exciting, but sleeping with one … it was all happening too fast for her to keep up. She wasn't ready to go all the way.

‘Is there something you need to say, or can we … ' the look on his face reminded Clover of a hungry kid staring at the last chocolate in the box. She shoved her hands into her jean pockets and looked down at the floor. ‘I, I'm not going to sleep with you.' Then her words started tumbling from her mouth and she knew she was babbling, but didn't know how to stop. ‘I mean, I like you, obviously, a lot. But I don't want to go there, I mean, I'm not ready to go there, not right now. I had a bad experience with this guy from racing. The truth is, he really scared me.'

‘Who?' Dallas's fists clenched. His aggression scared her, and she took a step back.

‘Just, a guy it was a long time ago, now, and he quit racing and moved away, so, it doesn't even matter.'

‘Of course it freaking matters! Tell me who he is.'

‘Seriously, Dallas?' She felt like she'd been punched in the stomach. ‘Can I get back to what I was trying to say, please?'

He clenched his jaw, and was silent. Not helpful.

‘I just, wanted to make it clear from the get go, I'm sorry if I upset you. But I wanted to be honest with you. Not that we're even together, or anything oh man, this totally isn't sounding right.'

Still silent. She sneaked a glance at Dallas from under heavy lashes.

His face seemed to be twisting, his hands relaxed. He stood for a moment, studying her face. He looked as though he was fighting to contain a silly grin and she wanted to smack him.

‘C'mon! I'm trying to be serious here. Don't make it worse, I already feel like a loser.'

‘If you're a loser, you're the sexiest one I ever saw.' He unfolded his arms and reached for her, scooping her up in a warm hug before she could tell herself it was a bad idea.

She buried her face in his sexy-cologne-scented team jacket and suddenly felt safe. Safe from her lonely past when she'd felt she didn't belong in Silvertown, or anywhere, for that matter. Safe from the boy who'd scared her. Safe.

Dallas clasped her chin and tilted her face up to his. ‘I'm a little surprised to be saying this,' he said. ‘But, I'm not gonna pressure you. I'm sorry if it's been too hot and heavy, but I can't help it. And it seems, neither can you.'

Clover's cheeks went red. ‘I know! I'm sorry. I don't wanna be, like, a tease, or anything. But it's so hard. You must know how hot you are?'

‘Back at ya, girl.'

She ducked her head and smiled into his chest.

‘You're a really cool chick,' he said into her hair. ‘I've had the best time hanging with you and I don't want to jeopardise that, okay?' He leant back and looked her in the eyes, and after the longest moment, his eyes lit up like he'd finally wrapped his mind around something he'd been struggling with. ‘I don't want to do anything you're not ready for. But … I want you to be my girlfriend.'

He let her go, but only to unzip her Yamaha jacket and whip it off her. He unsnapped his black and white team jacket and swung it around her shoulders.

‘I just have to give this to you, 'cos I know how hot it'll look.' He grinned broadly at her stunned expression. ‘Yep, I was right. Looks crazy hot. You wanna wear it, or not?'

Clover threaded her arms into the sleeves and folded back the cuffs to free her hands. She clipped the bottom snap together, but paused before doing up the rest. This was beyond her wildest dreams: getting a boyfriend and his jacket the ultimate high school status symbol. ‘Dallas,' she said slowly. ‘I don't want to sound ungrateful, or anything, but just 'cos I'm your girlfriend, doesn't mean that I'm going to … '

‘That's exactly why you have to be my girlfriend.'

When she opened her mouth to ask another question, Dallas held a finger to her lips and she kissed it without any instruction from her brain.

‘And you're such a bad girl!'

‘I'm sorry,' she grinned at him. ‘I'm trying to behave!'

‘You better give me a kiss goodbye, then.'

He pecked her on the cheek and reached forward.

‘Okay, boyfriend.' Clover was giddy with disbelief, floating against Dallas as he wrapped her up into the best hug ever.

A hug that was interrupted by her dad.

‘What the hell's going on here!' Ernie yelled.

Dallas dropped Clover and took a step backwards.

Ernie shook his head, and raised his hands, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. ‘You're grounded!' he said to Clover, then pushed past the pair and opened the front door, for Dallas to make his exit. ‘For two months!'

Dallas did as he was told, and Ernie's head whipped around, so his face was just inches from Clover's. ‘You're lucky we don't sell your motorbike!'