Page 41 of Stroked Long
I have all my bases covered. Would my mom be proud?
Crossing the apartment, I stick one hand in my jean pocket and open the door. Standing on the other side is Ruby with a bright smile on her face and a drenched yellow raincoat covering her head and body. The shoes she’s wearing are soaked and there is water all over her exposed legs.
“Apparently the clouds decided to lose their bladders on my walk here. How are you?” Shaking off her coat, she holds it in one hand, stands on her tippy toes and wraps her free arm around me, embracing me in a small hug. Then without another word, she lets herself in.
Fuck, my heart is hammering in my chest. The inability to move from her embrace is overwhelming, and I find myself staring into the hallway, trying to hold on to the warm feeling of Ruby wrapped around me.
“Where can I hang my jacket? I don’t want to get water all over your place. It smells delicious in here. You really can cook. I can’t wait to have this pizza you spoke of.”
Pulling my head out of my ass and back into the conversation, I shut the door, carefully stare at the lock as I maneuver it shut, and take a visual picture of me performing the act so I don’t panic later on.
You locked the door, Bodi.
It’s locked, you’re safe.
Be present with Ruby, don’t retreat to a darker place.
“Why did you walk here?”
Fluffing her blonde hair with one hand, she smirks at me. Fuck, she’s so damn beautiful. “I didn’t walk from my apartment, just from the bus stop. My car is in the shop right now getting some part replaced. Who really knows what’s going on in that clunk of junk?”
“You should have called me. I would have picked you up.”
She waves me off. “Oh please, I would never bother you like that. The bus was fine, I only had two people offer me heroin and three men stick their hand up my skirt.”
I don’t realize I’m grinding my teeth until she starts laughing and pats my cheek. “Ease up, I’m only kidding. But seriously, the bus was fun. There are so many different people out there.” Looking down, she frowns and then gives me a sheepish grin. “I’m getting water all over the place. I’m so sorry. It’s so clean and here I am, dirtying it up.”
I couldn’t care less about the water dripping on the floor. Wearing only a red dress and yellow cardigan, I’m concerned if she is warm enough.
“Are you cold? You’re drenched.”
“I’ll dry. No biggie.”
I shake my head. “You’re going to catch cold.” Not giving her a chance to answer, I leave her in the entryway and go back to my bedroom where I pull out a pair of USA Swimming sweatpants and a Team USA T-shirt.
Just as I walk into the entryway again, a large bolt of lightning lights up the sky followed by a giant boom of thunder, making Ruby startle and cower.
“Here you go,” I say, making her scream and hold her heart.
“Holy penis on a pineapple,” she exclaims. “You scared the crap out of me.”
“Me or the thunder?”
“Both of you. You tag teamed the shit out of me, causing me to wet myself even more.”
Scanning the ground, I look for evidence only for her to swat me playfully at my chest. “I didn’t really pee. Honestly, I’m not some eighty-year-old woman with a vagina the size of Kentucky who can’t hold her bladder.”
“Okay,” I respond awkwardly. Real fucking smooth, Bodi. “Get changed, pizza will be ready soon.”
“Get changed?” She quirks an eyebrow at me. “You expect me to change into your clothes? How do I know you washed these?” She sniffs them and it almost seems like her eyes melt. “Besides the mountainy fresh smell coming off them, how do I really know these are clean? You might have sprayed some Febreze on them.”
“Look around, Ruby. Do you really think I wouldn’t have clean clothes? Now get changed; I won’t have you sitting wet all night.”
“Valid point.” She nods, not saying another word and going to the half bath that’s just off the entryway.Could she really think I don’t wash my clothes? Was she teasing me again? Shit, I wish I understood more.
“Hang your coat in there to drip dry,” I call out, heading to the kitchen. Checking the oven, the pizza is a golden brown, just the way I like it, so I don oven mitts, lay out the ceramic trivet my mom used when making pizza, and remove dinner from the oven.
Steaming sauce bubbles up over the vegetables and cheese as heat radiates from the pie. It’s perfect.Just like mom used to make.
