Love of Truth

by C. T. Oliver

  “I’ll go grab you one, Mel.”

  Blu gets up and eyes Amelia. I guess the only one who doesn’t know what’s going on is Cory, who’s inhaling the meatloaf from hell and cooling it down with the five pound bowl of mashed potatoes next to him.

  Cory looks up from his plate. “Stop with the foreplay and respect the food, damn it. And hurry up, I want to win some money tonight,” Cory says, rolling his eyes at Pen and Ben. I laugh. Leave it to Cory to state the obvious.

  “HOLY SHIT BRO!” Cory cheers so loud the puppies start barking.

  In Amelia’s hands are four of a kind beating out my full house. I look at Amelia and she is flashing her first smile since this whole game started four hours ago. I am out seven hundred dollars to her and still can’t wipe this smile off my face.

  Ben chuckles in spite of himself. “Where did you learn how to play poker?” he asks, sitting back in his chair after losing another hand to Amelia.

  Amelia looks down and starts gathering all the cards. “My father and Tim,” she shrugs.

  “Well, let’s call it a night. My ass is sore sitting here watching all the money go Amelia’s direction.” Blu stands to leave the table, but not before leaving a kiss on Amelia’s forehead. I know there can never be anything between them but friendship, but I still don’t like another guy kissing my Amelia. That brings a smile to my lips; my Amelia.

  I’m sitting on bed playing with Larry when she steps out of the bathroom in one of my t-shirts that comes down to her knees. She is pulling her hair loose as she walks over and straddles me. “Thank you for letting me play with you guys tonight.” She leans forward and trails kisses down my face to my lips.

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad you had fun.” I run my hands up her thighs. Jesus, no underwear! “Baby, what exactly did your father and Tim teach you?” I’ve been dying to ask this question but didn’t want to ask in front of everyone.

  She tilts her head to the side and looks at me for a minute. “You know already, don’t you?” she asks as her fingernails lightly rake down my chest.

  “You have no tell and no micro-expressions. How?” I squeeze both of her firm butt cheeks lightly with my hands.

  She lets out a little squeal and squirms on my lap until my hands rub up her back again. “Well, for a while father was very afraid he brought the war home with him.” She looks down where her hands rest on my chest. “So he and Tim taught me defensive strategies just in case I’m ever kidnapped,” she shrugs it off like it was nothing.

  My senses heighten at the idea of someone coming after Amelia. “Were there ever any threats? Have you been followed?” I try to stay calm and rational but the idea of Amelia hurt frightens me.

  “No, no.” She lays her hands on the sides of my face and run her thumbs back and forth on my cheeks. Soothing me completely. “No, I’ve never been harmed. No one has ever been after me. I just have the skills in case they do,” she shrugs. “They taught me to never show emotions, ways to think in order to survive, a certain vocabulary to use, and to understand my surroundings, you know,” she shrugs again.

  “It was hard for you to learn those things, wasn’t it?” I ask, looking her in the eyes.

  “Yeah, how did you know?” she asks softly.

  “Because it’s against your nature. You thrive with emotions, baby. You like expressing your feelings. It’s a part of the way you care. It’s who you are and you even do it in your sleep. You grab on to those you care for and hold them tightly to you.” I run my hands under her shirt rubbing up and down her back.

  “I guess I really care for the pillows then,” she lets out a laugh.

  “No, silly, you know what I mean.” I squeeze her bottom and then giving my hands the luxury of roaming freely all over her soft satin skin.

  “Yes, I guess,” she shrugs.

  “I believe so.” I lean in and softly kiss her lips. “Mmm, you taste good.”

  “So do you.”

  Her hand skims down my stomach and heads straight under the waistband of my boxer briefs. I blow out a breath when she grips the head of my erection and holds nothing back. She trails kisses down my face while working her hand on me. Her kisses stop when her lips are at the waistband of my boxer briefs. She momentarily lets go of me only to throw her shirt over her head and work my briefs off of me. She sits back on her heels and takes a second to run her eyes over me while biting down on her bottom lip. Adorably sexy.

  “Baby, come here, I want to touch you.” My eyes roam all the silky smooth and soft milky skin on her body.

  “No, no, this is my time to play. You sit back and watch.”

  She leaves kisses here and there while crawling up my body. I let my head fall back to enjoy the sensation of her soft lips skating over my skin. My eyes roll back into my head at the feel of her lips around head of my dick. She moans her pleasure and it vibrates up my spine. The sight of her working both her hands and lips around my shaft is enough to make my body tighten and wanting that release, but I want her to be with me when euphoria hits. I want our connection.

  “Baby, please come up here with me.” I sit up and pull her up to my lips. I let her straddle my lap.

  “I wanted to play,” she pouts and looks at me with her wide bottomless eyes.

  I hold on her to hips and rub my erection on her hot wet lips. “Well, this way we both can play.” She drops her head back and moans her pleasure. I roll my hips and she takes the tip of me within her. Pulling her to my lips, I kiss my way down her neck, holding her closer to me as she rocks her hips to take in all of me. She wraps both arms tightly around my shoulders and starts to raise up and down, circling her hips back and forth to seek pleasure from my body. Her skin heats from her arousal, making her scent rise and envelope us. She seeks my lips as she rocks her hips more frantically, each time grinding her clit on me. The feel of her wet and hot around me has my adrenaline flowing and I just want to jump into euphoria with her. I kiss her desperately and can feel her tight walls contracting around me. Holding her still, I buck my hips into her. Her body tightens as she screams out my name and I let go. Pulling her body tight to me as the lightning spasms travel through us. I kiss her with all the emotions and feelings I have for her. I want to tell her how I feel, but I understand she’s not ready to hear it yet, so I just show her.

  She kisses my cheek, nose, and forehead before resting her sated body on top of me. “Mmm babe, its just better and better every time,” she says, nuzzling her face in my chest.

  “Its different every time, that’s for sure.” I hold her tighter to me. Touching her only riles the excitement within me again. But I enjoy the feeling of just being near Amelia in her after-sex glow. Her contented sighs always brings the blanket of calmness over me.

  Amelia squirms and sits up when a pungent, sulfuric smell wafts across us. “Babe, what’s that smell?” She frantically looks around until it hits her. “Larry.” She throws the pillows around until Larry comes rolling out from under the pile looking sheepish at us. “Oh my gosh, I forgot he was here. He saw everything.” She looks at me with shocked wide eyes.

  I chuckle at her expression. “Baby, I think he’s okay. If he didn’t like what he saw, I’m sure he would have voiced it.” I reach over to pick Larry up which brings the smell closer to us. “Whew, no more spicy food for you little man.”

  Larry continues to give us his sheepish look and barks a few puppy barks as to say ‘it’s not my fault’.

  “I’m sorry about that.” Amelia reaches out for Larry. “He’s not supposed to have human food, it gives him bad gas.” She giggles as she places Larry in his usual spot in the bed. “Kind of ruined the moment didn’t it?” She looks at me with wistful eyes.

  “It’s okay, it happens.” I pull her to me. “I’m just glad it wasn’t me,” I laugh. “I guess I can always blame it on Larry.”

  Amelia leans over and turns off the lamp before crawling back on top of me. “I wish I had Larry with me in class that day.” She laughs before placing a few k
isses on my lips. We are drifting off when Larry lets out a bark to mask a fart, which is followed by a cloud of boiled egg smell.

  Amelia lets out a growl and buries her face into my chest. “We are so going to get Cory a dog and feed it spicy food and see if he likes it.” I laugh and pull her closer to me. God, I love her.

  I wake to the feather light kisses Amelia is raining all over the side of my face. She brushes the tips of her fingers across my forehead before kissing her way up across my forehead and down my nose.

  “G’morin’ baby,” I open my eyes and pull her towards me only to see she’s fully dressed. “You’re up already?” I ask, running my hands under her skirt. I love her skin.

  “Yes, sleepy, it’s almost nine.” She smiles brightly at me. “I made breakfast for you.” She points to a huge bowl on the nightstand. “Pen and I are going to pack some lunch so we can celebrate Blu’s birthday on the beach.” Her eyes wander over to the window looking out to ocean. “I think you can still catch some waves before we head out for the party.”

  I pull her into my lap. “I can’t believe I slept this late. It’s your fault, you didn’t give me a proper wake up call.” I raise my eyebrows at her and chuckle at her dilated eyes and the way she’s licking her lips. “Do you need any help?”

  “I don’t think so. We’re just preparing lunch so we can grill it on the beach. You boys are going to have to drag the grill down to the beach later on, but we’re good for now,” she grins at me.

  “Okay,” I lean in and place kisses down the side of her face. “Thank you for making me breakfast. You take such good care of me.”

  She turns in my lap and wraps an arm around my neck. “I like taking care of you, it makes me happy.”

  Her statement swells my heart. I pull her closer to me and hold her tight, next to my heart. I want so badly to tell her that I’m already falling in love with her, but I know she’s not ready. I fear she might not trust that a guy can fall so quickly, but I have. And I know there is still so much we have to share with each other, but I am hopeful that we can overcome them and move forward together.

  “Babe, you should eat it before Cory smells it,” she says jokingly.

  “What did you make? It smells awesome.” I reach over for the huge bowl. “Fried rice for breakfast?” I ask excitedly.

  My excitement wakes Larry. He barks his good morning and rolls around in the bed making his way over to us.

  She laughs and reaches out for Larry. “Umm…yeah, I hope that’s okay.”

  “Umm…yeah, I love fried rice, just never had it for breakfast before,” I say mocking her tone. I offer her a spoonful before I dig into flavorful jasmine rice filled with peas, carrots, corn, scrambled eggs, and sweet sausages, all perfectly mixed.

  “Asian people eat rice all the time, babe, not just lunch and dinner. Growing up, fried rice was actually a breakfast food.” Her happy tone fades a little when she catches herself exposing a memory. I give her an encouraging look to continue without pressuring her too much. “Mom made the best food. All the ingredients had to be fresh and she had to know its origin.” She lets out a wistful sigh. “She made the best meals, always so elegant but simple and delicious. I think it was one of her ways of showing my father and I that she loved us.” She looks down at Larry cuddling in her lap, not wanting to show me her sad face.

  “Amelia, I think you’re a lot like her. You make the best food and take great care of the people around you. I don’t know your mom, but I think you carry a lot of her with you.”

  She looks up at me with hopeful eyes. “You think so?”

  I nod and give her a smile. “Yeah, I do.”

  “Thanks,” she says as her face lights up.

  “Now, help me finish this. I don’t think I can eat it all.” I hold out another spoonful for her.

  “I don’t think so. You may not eat as much as Cory, but you can pack it away.” She snuggles closer to my side. “But I’ll help you eat it because I don’t want you to cramp up with a full stomach out in the water.”

  “Thank you, you’re too kind to me,” I say as I lean over to give her a peck on the cheek. “You look pretty today.” I run my eyes over her dress-clad body, licking my lips a few times.

  “Keep eating buddy or you’re not going to be able to get out into the water.”

  I sigh. “So bossy.”

  I pull my wetsuit off after an hour of being in the balls-freezing water with the guys and walk into the kitchen that’s blasting with jazzy bass and Bruno Mars cooing about pursuing bunnies. Amelia and Pen are swing dancing with Blu and puppies are running around their feet in a disarray. I’m guessing they’ve done this before since all their steps and moves look very choreographed.

  “Hey Shorty, are you playing my song?” Cory steps in grabbing Amelia’s hand and twirling her.

  She giggles in excitement. “Why am I not surprised this is your song?” She twirls out of Cory’s hand and saunters over to me keeping up with the beat.

  “Hi baby.” I take her hand twirling her into my body then quickly twirling her out while adding a few combination lindy steps just to surprise her.

  “You swing?” she asks, with a cheeky smile as we kick our feet to the beat.

  “We all do. Mom and dad never got it out of their systems as teenagers, I guess, and taught all of us.” Turning, I see Ben twirling around with Pen just as the song ends. Amelia lets out a squeal as I pick her up in my arms for an around-the-world throw around me. To my surprise her body is relaxed and familiar with the move. “Now, how do you know how to swing?” I ask, setting her on her feet.

  “Blu had to learn for a charity thing he had to go to and dragged Pen and I to classes. We loved it and have been going for exercise and good laughs.”

  “Yeah, and to have old men feel you up,” Blu laughs to himself before heading over to pack all the bottles into the cooler. “Okay, people. Let’s get this party out on the beach.”

  Under Amelia’s well planned instructions we drag the grill, four coolers of food and drinks, and a volleyball net down to the sunny beach. Ben and I put up the poles for the volleyball net since Cory volunteered to help grill with the girls.

  Standing back to take in the view, I can see the allure of Oregon beaches. They’re clean and not crowded. Best of all, the weather seems to be just right this time of year. Sunny, yet cool and calm.

  “Oh my God, grilled shrimp and pineapple shish kabobs, and beef fillet sandwiches. Oh good God, barbecue chicken, and bacon wrapped burgers! Are those steaks and pork chops? And cheesecake!” Cory screams off to no one in particular. “Amelia, you’re the best.”

  “Dude, I think Cory’s going to make a move on Amelia,” Ben chuckles.

  I hammer in the spikes to hold up one of the poles. “Nah, she’s kind of scared of how much he eats.”

  “You serious with her?” Ben asks as he hammers in his last spike.

  “Yeah. Not going to be easy with me moving soon and I still have to tell her about the firm, but I’m going to try it.” I roll my eyes at Ben’s smug I-told-you-so-look.

  “Good, I like her. She’s sweet.”

  “What’s up with you and Pen?”

  “I like her. When we’re talking it’s great, but I think there’s something about me that she doesn’t like.” Ben looks down at the spikes.

  “What do you mean?” I ask.

  “I don’t know. We’ll talk and it’s all fine and fun, then it’s like something snaps and she starts to back off.” Ben shrugs looking a little sad.

  “Did you overstep your bounds?” I raise an eyebrow and eye him firmly.

  “Absolutely not.” Ben looks up at me, understanding my expression. “No,” he shakes his head. “I wanted to hold her hand and when I reached out, she kinda backed off.”

  “Okay, getting too detailed for my comfort, man.” I sigh regretting what I’m about to say, but Amelia is right, I want my friend to be happy. “I think she likes you, man. Be patient.” I grab the net and throw an end
to Ben to hang up.

  Amelia comes running over with the volleyball and a smile that matches her energetic mood. She has taken off her dress and is now wearing a red two-piece bathing suit with her Ray-Bans. So damn adorable. Dropping the ball next to us, she hands Ben and I each a beer.

  “Are you guys ready to get your butts kicked by us girls?” She rests her hands on her hips.

  “Whoa, is that a challenge, Shorty?” Cory chuckles. “You can’t even reach over the net and a third of your team is already walkin’ funny.” Cory points over to Blu who has a bright smile on his face while he’s chasing and stumbling after the puppies.

  She laughs and shakes her head at the sight. “Yeah, Pen and I got this,” she says brightly. “Come on, let’s eat first though before Cory dies of starvation.”

  “So true.” Cory fishes a drumstick off the grill trying to not burn his fingers in the process.

  I shake my head and walk over to Amelia. “Baby, you look so cute.” I nuzzle my face into her neck and breathe in the mint and sunblock lingering on her skin. I run my hands down her back for a feel of her silky soft skin. I feel all the blood rush down to my groin. “Oh man, I think I done myself in touching you,” I whisper in her ear.

  “You’re always getting yourself into these tough situations, aren’t you?” she smirks and starts to pull back, but I hold her in place.

  “You’re not going to walk away and leave me…exposed are you?”

  She looks down to see the tent pitched in my trunks and giggles excitedly. “Babe, what do you want me to do about it?” She tilts her face up and pouts suggestively at me.

  “Kiss me.” I wiggle my eyebrows, which only makes her laugh harder.

  She throws both arms around my neck and goes on her tippy toes. “Babe, I think the last thing to alleviate your problem are kisses, but I’m up for it.” I straighten my back, pulling her off her feet and kiss her without a care in the world. I lick her sweet minty lips that still have a lingering taste of her morning coffee. I feel her tongue shyly playing with the tip of mine. She moans in pleasure then gives a sigh of contentment. All of this, this is what I want for the rest of my life.