Page 95 of Stroked Long
“You can be such a tightwad,” she teases.
“Yeah, but I’m your tightwad.” I’m back at her lips now, said penis starting to harden from the taste on her lips and the sweet smell of her perfume.
“You would call me yours?” she asks, her voice shaky, and I’m unsure if it’s from the way I’ve been kissing her or her question.
“Of course I would.” I look her in the eyes, trying to understand where that question came from.
“So does that mean we’re exclusive, like . . . dating?”
“We better be.” I don't think Ruby is the kind of girl who would date two men at one time, but I need her to understand this point. I couldn't share her. I can't. She has become too vital to me. Perhaps she doesn't understand that I rarely let people see the real me.I thought she knew that.Growing serious, I say, “I’ve never been in a relationship, Ruby. Not because I decided to sew my wild oats or any bullshit like that. I just never found someone to be serious with. I never let someone into my world or gave anyone a chance, but then you came along. You wiggled yourself into my life, and fuck if I don’t want to see your beautiful face every day. I’m not sure how this will go, but I will tell you this, I won’t share you.”
Her eyes soften, her hand lands on my cheek as she presses into me, sealing my lips with hers. Everything inside me ignites. This woman, she fucking changes everything. She makes me feel, she fills me with oxygen, allowing me to take the first deep breath since my parents passed. It’s freeing, but also fucking scary. I’m not ready for change, I don’t think I can handle change but here I am, teetering on the brink of it, right before the Olympic games. So not fucking smart.
“Well, well, well, look at you two.” My sister’s voice comes from the side, causing me to pull away fast and wipe my mouth. Doesn’t matter, we’ve been caught red-handed.
“Did you just wipe your mouth?” Ruby asks, hands on her hips, completely ignoring my sister.
“I was just about to ask him the same thing,” Eva says, stepping up next to Ruby.
And just like that, I have two angry women staring me down. This is so not my forte. I’m not good with confrontation. I avoid it all costs. Generally, I avoid conversations at all costs—it’s just easier—but Ruby and Eva don’t allow me to crawl into my own skin and hide. It’s evident as they are shooting daggers at me.
“I didn’t mean to,” I answer stupidly and then sigh. Grabbing the back of my neck, I answer honestly this time. “Listen, this is new to me.” I turn to Eva. “I don’t need you teasing me for kissing Ruby, okay? I like her a lot, and we’re together. Don’t make a fucking big deal out of it like I know you want to. I can see the way your eye is twitching to tell me you told me so—”
“Well I did tell you . . .”
“Don’t,” I repeat. Turning to Ruby, I lace my fingers with hers, pulling her into my chest so she’s forced to lower her defensive stance. “I’m sorry, Rubes.”
“Aww, you call her Rubes? My little heart can’t take it,” Eva says, practically dancing in place. I shoot her a warning look that makes her back up and give us space.
“I didn’t mean to insult you. What’s going on between us is so fucking foreign to me that I have no clue how to react in certain situations. There are going to be times where I might hurt you, insult you, or make you mad. I just ask that you take a second to breathe before you leave me. Give me a second to make it up to you because I promise I will realize I was being an idiot.”
“What about when you do something right? What about all the times you will spoil me, take care of me, protect me?”Thisis why I can’t tear myself away from this woman. My mind is constantly focused on my negative attributes, on how I can fuck things up, but Ruby turns it around every time, letting me know I have it in me to do the right thing as well.
“In those instances, you can sing my praises.” I smirk.
“What kind of praises?” Her eyebrows wiggle at me, causing me to laugh.
I wrap my arms around her shoulders and hug her tightly into my chest. Her arms wrap around my lower back and one of her hands runs under my shirt and soothingly rubs my skin.I love her touch. How have I gone so long without a loving touch?
“Are we good?” I ask, face buried in her soft blonde hair.
“We are.”
“Okay.” I let out a long breath. “I have to get to the pool. I don’t feel like doing extra two-hundreds again. Have a good day, Rubes.”
Separating so we can look up at each other, she asks, “Will I see you tonight? You leave in a few days; I want to make sure to soak up as much of you as possible.”
“You will. I will stop by your classroom after practice.” Bending down, I gently kiss her and then wink. “Get out of here.”
She kisses my chin and takes off, waving to Eva in the process. The minute the door is shut, Eva pounces on me. I should have fucking known better.
“Care to tell me how this happened?”
“Not really.” I reach for the door to the club but she stops me.
“Uh-uh. You’re not getting away that easily.”
“I don’t really feel like discussing my dating life with my sister, if you don’t mind.”
