Hooked by Claire Adams Read Free Book Online

“What a wonderful place,”
I whispered to Drew.
    “I’m glad you’re having fun. But—Oh! Watch out!”
Drew was pointing up to the great screen, where they had flashed the words
“MAKE OUT CAMERA!” Drew turned to me, his eyes bright. “What do you think about
that?”
    I turned pink, shaking my head. “They surely won’t
land on us,” I sputtered, smiling. I watched as an older couple, both of them
with bright white hair, appeared on the camera and then turned to one another,
administering a brief, smooched kiss on each other’s lips. Another couple
appeared—a woman holding a baby and her husband directly next to her. They were
bickering. When someone pointed the screen out to them, they pushed each
other’s faces together briefly before the camera fled away.
    And then; I
saw myself. On screen. My blonde hair was glinting in
the sunlight, and—on screen—my mouth was open in wonder.
I turned swiftly toward Drew, who was already prepared. He came toward me, his
mouth open, his eyes closed. And I leaned into it as well. He started kissing
me deeply, so much like he had the evening before. His
tongue flipped against mine intimately. I could feel a hint of beard on his
cheek. I heard the people around us begin to cheer, “YEAH. GET IT!” as we
kissed and kissed. Drew’s hand was on my shoulder before he moved it up to my
cheek, playing with my ear. An internal desire to fuck him sprang up in me; it
was such a surprise, those feelings. I wanted to mount him there, in front of
everyone, in front of the entire stadium.
    But then, Drew pulled back. He nipped at my lower
lip one final time before looking at me with slanted, bedroom eyes. “Wow,” he
murmured. “You are a really good kisser.”
    I just blinked up at him, still hearing all of the
people around us. “What I would do to be her right now,” said a woman a few
rows back, eyeing Drew and I tightly. I smiled, leaning my head against Drew’s
shoulder. I daydreamed for the remainder of the game, watching as the ball flew
through the air—and feeling as high as that ball. I felt butterflies brimming
in my stomach; I felt the lurch of nerves every time Drew spoke to me, asking
me if I wanted another dog, another beer. Always I spoke to him in a low, husky
voice. There was an intimacy forming between us; I felt it so starkly, then.

 
    CHAPTER SEVEN
    After the game, we walked through the dense crowd
toward the street. All horns were honking; the people were swarming. The
Cubbies had won. I was caught up in the excitement; I felt like my heart was in
my throat. I clung to Drew’s hand as we skirted across the street, watching
people making out in the streets, watching a drunk person fall off a curb. I watched as people saluted each other. We were all on
the same team in that moment. We were all together.
    A few blocks away from Wrigleyville, everything
started to calm down a little bit. I turned toward Drew, looking up at his
shadowed face—so high up there, six foot four. “That was incredible,” I
murmured to him. I rubbed my hand across his chest.
    He nodded, then, turning toward me. He showed his
teeth, illuminating such light toward me. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I loved
sharing it with you.”
    I nodded, pulling my blonde hair around my ear. I
didn’t know what to say. I felt so unlike myself—so much like a rich
girlfriend, a successful person. I wondered if this was the sort of life I would have had if I would have been successful as a dancer.
    “Hey. Do you want to walk around a bit more? I know
we’re close to your place, but.” Drew paused. He looked around at the streets,
the people. “God, I love this city. And I love walking around with you.” He
turned toward me, touching the spot directly behind my ear. “I want to talk a
little bit more, with the backdrop of the city behind us.”
    I nodded, feeling his hand reach around my back.
    “So. What about your life,” Drew began, clearing his throat a little bit. “I