"He's out doing something today. Let's go!"Holly backed out of the driveway and headed toward the mall. "Doing what?""Some job, I guess, but he was very cryptic about the whole thing."Steph opened her eyes wide. "Maybe he wants to buy a special Christmas gift for someone." It was clear who she thought that someone might be.Holly sputtered out a laugh. "Easy girl, I wouldn't want you to get overheated.""Oh stop, you're just jealous he picked me.""You keep telling yourself that," said Holly, looking at me in the rear view mirror with a wink.I sighed, letting their ordinary banter ground me to the real world. "It's nice to see you two getting along again."Steph smiled at me over the seat back. "I couldn't bear to stay angry over Christmas. It just wouldn't be joyful.""I think she called me because there are too many people visiting at her house," said Holly."That's true, but I really am sorry about what I said."The parking lot was insane and it took forever to find a spot. Whe
"What a surprise!" He gave us each a quick hug, and then sat down opposite from me. We all sat again and leaned in to talk. "I didn't think I could keep this secret very long.""John, I can't believe how well you play." Steph took his right hand in both of hers and I shivered as she touched him, gritting my teeth in frustration."It's just practice, that's all.""No, I was forced to practice for hours and never got any better.""Well, I'm glad you liked it.""Would you mind if I imposed upon you to play something at my party?" Holly mouthed the last three words to me at the same time Steph said them, and Steph gave us a dirty look when we giggled."Of course, Steph, my fingers are yours.""You have no idea how glad I am to hear that." Her sultry tone implied she wasn't just thinking about her piano, and I could've happily killed her with my bare hands."I've only got fifteen minutes and I need to get something to drink.""I've taken care of that." Steph presented the bottle of water t
"I need to find a way to wave off Steph. She's already starting to pick out china patterns, for fuck's sake.""I don't know what to do, Holly. It can't possibly work."Her face softened and she took my hand. "But that doesn't matter when you're with him, does it?"I couldn't trust myself to speak, so I shook my head."God, what a mess, I don't know what to say. Not many people have stumped me, girl. What does he want to do?""Damn the torpedoes and full speed ahead." I chuckled sadly. "Maybe he's right. At this point, Mom would probably be relieved I'm not gay.""What happened?" She didn't seem as surprised as curious."She and I had a very interesting discussion this morning. Apparently she's been worried that I'm just pretending to date guys to hide the fact that I'm gay. Can you believe that?""How the hell did that come up?""Yesterday she said that she wished Steph and I had been closer growing up, implying she wished BF and I weren't. I got mad. Today, after we apologized, we we
"I was scared it would change everything. I'd gotten so used to seeing myself a certain way and of dating a certain way that I couldn't even imagine any other way to be. Steph doesn't understand why what happened in Jamaica was such a big deal for me.""You never told me what happened.""I'd finally figured out what sex was about. When I was a virgin, sex was something I thought I had to let happen to me, not something I did for myself. The guy I met down there, he wasn't like the guys around here." She paused for a moment, lost in thought. "He was older.""How much older?" I asked."Forty-five.""Seriously? That's your Dad's age!" I couldn't even imagine finding someone that old attractive enough to have sex with them."He was so sweet, though, and divorced, lonely. He made me feel special, and let me be in charge of whatever we did together. He gave me permission to play and learn with his body. There was no rush and no pressure, unlike the assholes I'd dated.""Did you fall in love
Mom opened the door and came in singing. "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!"I worked the lotion into his fingertips. "Hi Mom."John put on a strained smile. "Did you have a good day, Aunt Lisa?""I sure did. It may be a record for us, which means that end-of-the-year bonus is in the bag. And my employees were all buzzing about the hot, young pianist playing in the atrium today," she said grinning and mussing his hair."That would be me. My hands are shot," he replied as I got my scissors and trimmed a couple of rough cuticles."Kate will get them in shape again. Have you eaten dinner?""Yeah, I got a free meal at the mall.""Kate, what about you?""Steph and Holly came over and we ordered a pizza. There are a couple of pieces left over in the fridge, if you want them." When I'd finished trimming the snaggy bits, I put lotion up to his forearms and began to massage his muscles. "You probably should eat a banana to get some potassium or you'll have cramps later."He nodded.
I brought my empty coffee mug to the kitchen and poured myself another cup. John was having an animated conversation with his brother over a video call on his tablet."He even got me my own gaming account! Hey, is that Kate back there?" I heard Nate say."Hi Nate!" I said, as I leaned over John's shoulder to smile at my little cousin. "What did Santa bring you?""My own computer!" he said with excitement dancing in his eyes. "It's got a totally cool case with neon lights inside!""That sounds amazing. Are you using it right now?""Yeah, Dad let me set it up all by myself after unwrapping it.""What did your brother get?""He's out riding his new bike right now, but Mom's mad at him 'cause he's still wearing his pajamas."John and I both laughed. "Look, we've got some presents we need to open when Aunt Lisa gets up. Let me call you back after we eat some breakfast," said John.In the video, Nate looked over his shoulder as I heard Aunt Susan shouting something. "What? Oh, Mom says you'
When she slid over a flat square package, I had no idea what it could be. The paper came off to reveal a 2013 calendar with pictures of mugs full of steaming coffee. Puzzled and a little disappointed, I looked up at John, but he offered no explanation, only an enigmatic smile. "Thank you.""You're welcome."With the present opening out of the way, we cooked breakfast together with Christmas music playing in the background. I made cinnamon rolls while Mom fried bacon and eggs and John set the table. After we ate, John plugged his tablet into our television and we had a long video call with Aunt Susan, Uncle Tom, Nate, and little Alex. Mom made phone calls to other relatives while John and I sat on the couch and read. All morning I tried to tease some kind of meaning out of his gift to me with no success.Later, Mom played games on her new tablet until she started nodding off in the afternoon. John finally turned off his tablet and stuffed it in his backpack. "Aunt Lisa, Kate and I are
"I can't promise it will be easy, but I'm going to try very hard to make it work."I threw myself at him, kissing him hard despite my tears and snot. He held me tight and whispered my name. "Why does Mom have to be home today," I growled in frustration."Uh, Kate?" he murmured as he pulled back to look at me."What?" I asked and when he nodded out the car's windshield, I looked around and saw where we were. "This isn't the movie theater.""No.""Don't you think you're being a little presumptuous?""Nope, just hopeful," he said, giving me a sheepish grin.I pouted. "So, after all that reading, we don't actually get to see the movie?""I have it on my tablet. If you really want to see it, we can watch it in bed."I kissed him again, but softly this time. "I like the way you hope."John let me climb back into the passenger's seat and then drove us around to the hotel's front entrance. The valet opened the car door with a flourish. "Merry Christmas, do you have reservations?"John came ar
Between his looks and his heavy money, Riccardo Bainchi could have anybody on this planet. He had gone out with plenty of women who were half his age without wrinkles and stretch marks, those who could still give him kids.I had dedicated my life to him, had given up all hopes and dreams I had because the money was nice and he treated me better than some of the other jobs I had in my teens. I never got a college education so the opportunities had always been limited. I had nothing to offer him.Before I could voice any of those concerns, he was at my side. He took my chin in his hand, pulled me closer to him, and kissed me hard on the mouth. I stiffened in his hold for a brief moment, wondering if this was all some sort of… joke.But Riccardo didn’t make jokes, especially not with me.“Riccardo,” I whispered between kisses. “Wh-What are you doing?”He seized my waist and lifted me onto the table, almost immediately dropping to his knees between my thighs. I leaned my arms back on the
Riccardo Bianchi scrolledthrough his phone at the head of the dining table with an empty glass of whiskey in front of him. After wiping down the kitchen counter, I refilled the glass, my hand trembling from the nerves zipping through me right now.I had worked for the Bianchi Family for nearly thirty years and had never asked for a night off because I had never quite needed it before now. Riccardo gave me more than enough time during the week to spend my days doing whatever I wanted with his dirty money.But I wanted to go out Friday night with a man I had met at the grocery store. He had worked there for the past five years, but I had never gotten the courage to talk to him besides some desperate little smiles here and there.“What’s wrong?” Riccardo asked.“N-Nothing!” I said too quicklyHe grabbed my shaky hand, stopping me from pouring any more. “Ophelia.”Sucking in a breath, I placed the bottle of alcohol down on the counter and hurried toward the front of the table to distance
She turned off the buzzing toy and climbed up next to me. Her breath smelled like beer and my musk, but I didn't care. I kissed her, holding her face between my hands. She opened her mouth and sucked my tongue between her teeth. "I want you to fuck me with your fingers while you kiss me," she said.I found her wet and open when my fingers reached her mons. I pressed her back against the pillows and kissed her with abandon. She began to move against my palm, making quiet mewing sounds as I rubbed up and down. Every kiss was open, every bite a tease. I ground myself against her side, while my fingers slid along and between her slit.She was holding back. I could tell she didn't want it to be over too soon. I began to kiss her neck and ears, enjoying her biting my shoulder as I worked her closer to the edge. She began to hold her breath, just like John had when he got close. I grabbed her hair and pulled to expose her neck as she had done to me."Oh, fuck yes," she whispered as I licked
I hadn't been entirely honest with Jules. She was the only woman I'd ever thought of sexually. There were a few times when my imaginary lover grew softer curves and longer hair. It was usually after I'd woken from a dream and I couldn't sleep again without finding release. In those drowsy moments, as my fingers rubbed, it was her breasts I touched, and her mouth I kissed. And when my release came, it was her name I whispered. I was ashamed I hadn't told her.Admitting it in my journal didn't change the way I felt about John. Being with him was satisfying in ways that being with Jules couldn't replace. I loved his rough skin when he didn't shave. I loved holding onto his strong shoulders as he entered me. I loved the way he called my name when he emptied himself into me. John and I had connected so powerfully that I now feared losing him as much as I did Jules. It was hard to believe I'd only known him two weeks.I'd fallen for someone wonderful, my best friend had become something mor
Jules spoke before I had a chance to say anything. "She's my wife. It doesn't matter how old she is."Now he looked even more skeptical. "Ya'll are married?" he asked, his tone implying he didn't believe her.I was confused and turned to ask her what she was doing, but Jules reached around my shoulders and pulled me close. She kissed me, moving her mouth against mine and knocking all other thoughts out of my head. I forgot everything as she took my breath away. She stopped after a few lovely moments and turned back to him. "See?"His eyes opened wide as he licked his lips. "Uh, fine. You're married," he said. Then he turned to go back to the bar, looking back over his shoulder at us twice as he went.I was hot suddenly and took off my coat. "That was unexpected.""You wanted a beer, didn't you?""Yes," I agreed, putting my coat down next to me on the seat. "That was ... wow."When he brought over the beers and sat them down in front of us, he asked, "Ya'll want me to run a tab?""Can
"Anyway, he started asking more and more questions. I could tell he was worried about me moving too fast. He tried to make you seem like some backwoods gold digger and I nearly popped him in the mouth for it," he said, sounding angry with his words clipped short."He just doesn't know me. Jules is worried you just want someone to hook up with that won't complicate your life on campus.""Fuck 'em both, then." he said with a grim laugh."I need to tell you something," I said, but he didn't seem to hear me."Look, you don't know everything that's happened over the last couple of years. Mike's been a good friend. He's helped me get through some serious shit. Even so, you don't have to worry about him changing my mind. I've never felt like this about anyone before. Let them worry. You still trust me, don't you?""Yes.""Then hang tough, only four more weeks and I'll be there. I may even bring the bastard along to put this shit to rest. Hey, maybe we could set him up with Jules?""We can tr
"You mean, John..." She trailed off for a second. "Wait, he took your virginity and all he gave you for Christmas was a fucking calendar?""That calendar was his promise to me. He's coming back in four weeks, with more trips to follow! If you hadn't flown off the fucking handle, I'd have told you--""Oh my God, you can't start dating your cousin! What would I tell Susan?""Why the hell not? It's not like we're actually related or did you forget that part?" When she didn't say anything right away, I took advantage and tried to catch my breath. Glancing back at Jules, I found her standing in the doorway of the closet with the strangest look on her face."You still could've told me, Kate," said Mom, sounding much calmer, but my frustration was beyond my control."Yes, I could have, but with the way you've reacted so far, I'm not sure it would have turned out any different.""Just come home. I've been worried sick about you. I haven't been able to sleep since you left."I laughed out loud
Niro's looked a little like a brown house from the outside, but the interior featured a green and white theme with garish accents in yellow and red. We lined up and ordered our dogs, taking seats in the crowded dining room. Mine was fully loaded with tomatoes, pickles, peppers, and onions, and I knew I'd pay for it later, but I hadn't been able to resist my favorite. Jules had hers with everything except the onions."You're going to regret that later," I said.She looked up at me, puzzled. "What?""Not eating onions." I looked at her with a wicked grin. It was still so odd to see her and want to kiss her. I kept thinking of her as my friend, but then my racing heart would correct me every time I looked at her."I don't mind onion breath." Picking up a single fry, she slipped it between her lips seductively, and whispered, "As long as it's yours."I could feel my face grow hot and had to look away for a moment. When her foot slid up my calf, I chuckled. "You'd better eat fast. I'm alre
The hunger I felt for her couldn't stop my mind from comparing our bodies. My own lips were smaller, and my sensitive nub didn't protrude like hers did. Her flavor was amazing, coppery and bright with an almost electric spark. I'd tasted my own arousal before, but this was like drinking lightning from the clouds. Her wetness spread along my lips and cheeks as she began to moan. When she reached her peak, she was completely still, but her thighs trembled against my face. After she'd cried out, her pulsing finish triggered another fit of giggles as she pushed my face away. I kissed her fingers when she put them under my chin to pull me up."Stop, too intense," she said. "Come here and kiss me. Was that enough to blot out the bad memory?"I was feeling greedy. "No, but it was a good start."When I snuggled down next to her again, we looked into each other's eyes. "It makes a difference when it's you," she murmured, seeming surprised, and it puzzled me."Did you imagine it wouldn't?""I'v