by Sam Crescent
Rusty took a sip of his beer and glared over at his best friend. He didn’t know why he even agreed to go out with him tonight. He checked the time across the bar, and sure enough, he had another half an hour to wait until his woman arrived.
There was no way he wasn’t going to spend a Friday night with Casey. Buster was his friend, but he also had the love of his life who was up there in the more important category of his life. He loved her so fucking much. Even the little skittish part of her.
He had to tread carefully or he could risk losing her forever.
He took another sip of his beer. He wasn’t going to drink enough to get drunk, but enough to make himself not worry about Casey running away at the drop of a hat.
“Could we not talk about Casey right now?” he asked.
“Trouble in paradise?”
“No. It’s just I don’t want to talk about her.”
“When someone doesn’t want to talk about someone, it’s because there is gossip.”
“I’m not telling you about my love life.” Or how his love life was at the slowest rate in the history of all men. This was what confused Rusty. All of the movies said how women wanted love, commitment, compassion, sensitivity, amazing sex. He had checked all of them off for Casey.
He was sensitive and watched the movies that were a risk of making him cry, check, and done.
He made her pancakes in the morning or waffles, with coffee, check. Easy to do because he happened to really enjoy breakfast. He also stopped eating bacon and sausage even though she said she didn’t mind. He’d done all of that for her.
Commitment, he had made sure there was space in his closet, in his everything just for her. Yes, he’d gone and done that, and what did he get in return? Oh, a panicked woman that was trying to run away. He wasn’t judging because he got it.
The amazing sex, he knew he could tick that off. Whenever he got his hands on Casey, and they were alone, he made sure to have her coming apart, screaming his name, begging for more. He loved to hear the sounds of her screams and pleads for more.
Then of course, love. He hadn’t come out and told her, but it wasn’t like it was hard for her to see it.
He loved her. Craved her. Desired her. He wanted everything with her, and he proved it time and time again. Like now, rather than tell her to stay at home as he was spending time with the guys, he had asked her to come and save him.
“What am I missing?” he asked, turning to look at Buster.
“For what?”
“I’m willing to give her everything, and if I tell her, she looks ready to bolt. Do I scare easily? Am I a bad person?” he asked.
“You’re not a bad person, Rusty. You’re a guy who is in love, and if you ask me, you’re just as afraid of her.”
Rusty burst out laughing. “Please, I am not afraid of anything.” He snorted and took another sip of his beer. “You don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”
“Then why haven’t you told her you want to marry her? Have lots of sex and create this gigantic family together where you both live happily ever after for the rest of your lives. That you put her parents to shame with how much you love her.”
The little bit of happiness he had … vanished.
“Because if I tell her what I really want, she’ll run back to the city.”
“You don’t know that. You never gave yourself the time to fall for her before. What’s to say that time won’t come around now, and it’s everything she ever wanted without even realizing it.” Buster slapped him on the back. “I mean, you asked her to come and she’s here right now for you.”
Rusty turned toward the door, and sure enough, there was his woman. Beautiful, serene, sexy, even in a summer dress that had faded a little. She stood out to him more than anyone else.
Buster let him go as she approached.
“Hello there, handsome. Would you like to have a dance?”
“What would your boyfriend say about that?” Rusty asked. He wanted to shoot himself for putting a label on their relationship.
Part of him expected her to run again. That’s why he couldn’t take this to the next level. For fear of her always running away. He couldn’t compete with the big city where she could hide and no one would know her business, or where she lived.
He loved living in a small town. Where his children would be safe and everyone knew each other.
“I would say you’re going to have to ask him.” She put her hand on his chest and leaned in close. “What do you say, boyfriend, care to dance with me? Your girlfriend.”
It was probably a shitty thing to do, but he placed a hand to her forehead, testing her temperature.
“You’re okay?”
“What are you doing?” she asked, laughing, and capturing his hand. “Stop it. I’m not ill.”
“You’ve also just called yourself my girlfriend. It makes a guy nervous.”
“You’re nervous. Please, you’re one of the strongest people I know. So, will you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
“The honor is all mine.” He took her hand, leading her onto the dance floor. There was a fast number playing, but how he felt right now, he wasn’t in the mood to go fast. No, in this moment, with her wanting to be his girlfriend, he held her close, and knew he never wanted to let her go.
Chapter Ten
A week later, Casey rolled over to find her man, Rusty, still sleeping. Rarely did she get a chance like this where she could just watch him. Most of the time, he was out of bed, making breakfast for her.
She paused and frowned for a second before returning her attention back to him. Rusty always did everything for her. Whenever they watched a movie, he’d let her pick, no matter how cheesy or girly it was.
All this time, this man had been right here. The perfect guy, and there was no denying just how perfect he was. He put up with everything from her, even down to not showing a real commitment.
Pushing the blanket aside, he rolled over a little, and his cock was already thick and hard.
“You’re telling me you’re not awake when you conveniently move like that.”
“I’m still in the land of nod. I’m getting used to having a mad stalker look at me like I’m something to eat.” He let out a growl, showing some teeth.
She couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’re not going to show your very hot and sexy boyfriend how much you want him?” he asked, giving his hips a wiggle.
Casey moved over him, straddling his waist and taking possession of his lips. “If I do, you’ve got to promise me to let me have my fun and you’ve got to stay perfectly still.” She took his hands and placed them around the poles of the headboard. “I’m the one in charge.”
“You know I don’t like it to work like that. I’m the one in charge and will always be.”
“You’re going to have to get used to it. I do. Unless you want someone else to suck your dick,” she said, whispering the words against his ear.
“Damn, now you just make it even harder for me to deny you.”
“Good, that is what I’m wanting to do.” She flicked her tongue across his ear before nibbling down his body, going to his neck. Sucking on his pulse, she nipped at his flesh and slid down his chest.
Going to each nipple, she teased him, wanting to drive him wild as he did her most days when he took the time with her. It was every single time together. Rusty was never in a rush and always told her she had a body he wanted to savor.
Kissing down to his cock, she hovered over him, waiting for him to give an instruction or to tell her what he wanted. When he did neither, she wrapped her fingers around the length, and flicked her tongue across the tip.
He let out a growl, and it only served to make her even more aroused.
Taking the entire tip into her mouth, she sucked on him, swallowing him down until he hit the back of her throat.
Once he was there, she pulled off but bobbed her head, enjoying the feel of his swollen dick in her mouth. He felt so
good, and glancing up his body, she saw he was fighting to stay in control.
“Fuck! Baby, yeah, that’s it. I’m so close. I want to lick your pussy.”
She pulled off him, taking a breath. “No, this is about you, not about me.” She took his cock back into her mouth, and she saw it was a struggle for him, but she wasn’t going to stop.
His cock swelled, thickened, and as he came, he let out a roar. She swallowed his cum down, milking his dick for every single drop.
Just as she finished, he grabbed her, pulling her to the bed. She didn’t get time to tell him no, but he was there, his face between her thighs, licking and sucking at her pussy. He spread her open, and she watched him. His tongue worked her clit until she couldn’t think straight, not that she ever wanted to.
All it took was a few short strokes and touches for her to come, and as she did, he moved between her thighs, and surprised her with just how hard he was.
“This is how I am for always thinking of you.” He slid in deep, and she cried his name.
Staring into her eyes, she knew, deep in her heart, there was no one else she could ever be this way with. She had no desire to share her life with anyone else. All this time, she truly thought there was something wrong with her, but it wasn’t.
The guys she knew they just couldn’t compare to the one man she let get away, and she had no intention of ever letting that happen again. Not to her.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pushed up against his cock, taking him as deeply as she could, not wanting him to stop as he fucked her hard. Kissing his lips, she tasted her pussy on his mouth, but she didn’t care.
In that moment, Casey knew that even as she was fearful of the future, the only person she wanted to spend it with was Rusty. No, not Rusty, Daniel Locke. The guy she remembered from high school.
The guy she would find herself watching even when she didn’t want to because he captured her attention.
He was the one she was in love with. No one else.
In love.
She gasped, and Rusty pulled away just a little. “Are you okay? I’m not hurting you, am I?”
No. he wasn’t hurting her. It didn’t sting.
She finally knew what she felt, and understood it.
She was completely, totally, scarily, in love with Rusty, and knowing it, she knew she couldn’t lose it, because if she did, she would lose part of herself.
****
There was no time to tell Rusty exactly what she was feeling or her revelations with herself over the next couple of days, because … he was busy.
It was like everyone in town knew she had something important to tell him, and so their cars decided to pack up, and give them trouble, right when she really didn’t need it. When they got home, he was always so tired because of all the driving around he’d been doing. He’d also had to go for some parts as they didn’t offer a delivery service from some of the scrap metal places.
Some of the cars were vintage, so they had to go searching old truck heaps just to find certain parts.
She cooked for him.
Held him.
Waiting.
Always waiting for the perfect moment to tell him.
She felt this was her punishment for waiting. This was why she couldn’t complain. She had made him wait, and now, she was the one having to wait.
Karma had an odd way of working, not that she minded.
Her love for Rusty, it wasn’t going to get old to her. She wanted to be with him always. She hadn’t told anyone else how she felt either.
No.
The first and only person she wanted to tell was Rusty.
He should be the first one to know.
“Rusty! You in here?” Buster said, shouting across the garage, making her jump. Besides writing, she often helped Rusty out with paperwork, and talking to clients as he worked. Answering the phone was something she did now as well.
Running fingers through her hair, she got to her feet, finding Buster in the main garage.
“He’s not here. He’s gone to check on some parts. The guy he spoke to didn’t sound very confident about what he was offering, and before he agreed a price, he wanted to make sure it was what he wanted.”
“Oh,” Buster said. “I haven’t seen him all week.”
“It has been a busy week.” She didn’t know what to say to Buster. They both looked at each other and then away.
“Well, I guess you don’t want to share a burger with me?”
“I don’t eat meat.”
“Already got the memo.”
Again, this couldn’t be any more awkward.
“You know what, everyone walks around you as if you’re made of china or something, and I’m sick of it. You know what, I want to know what your intentions are for my boy,” Buster said.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. It’s kind of hard not to hear me.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“I think you do. In fact, I know you do. I want to know what your intentions are with Rusty. You come back into town after doing whatever it is you wanted to do in the big city. I don’t know the whole story, but I know enough when it comes to my buddy. I know he’s been pining away for you for some time. Fuck, he’s wanted you since high school, but stupid shit always got in the way. I don’t know why. Don’t even ask me why. I don’t fucking know. Either way, your parents care about you. Rusty’s have extended their vacation, and well, no one is really looking out for him. I’m his best friend, and I know he’d do the same for me, so I want to know.”
“You don’t have a right to know.”
“I do. You see if this is just a fucked-up joke to you, I’m the one who is going to have to repair him when you walk away, crushing him. I’ll be the one to call you a bitch, and I need to know what you’re going to do so I know how to take care of him.”
“Buster, I’m not going to hurt him.”
“Then why do you run away whenever things get a little personal? Rusty wants everything with you. He wants to marry you. Have kids, a big family. He wants to be everything you need from him, and yet, I can’t help but wonder if you’re a city girl at heart. You’ve come here for some inspiration, and you’re going to run off because that’s what you do.”
Tears filled her eyes. She wasn’t hurt or upset. “He wants to marry me?”
“Yeah. He does. With Rusty, this isn’t a summer fling. This is everything to him. He wants you to stay, but he’s too damn selfless to ask you to stay. He doesn’t want you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“And how do you know this?” she asked. Rather than be afraid, Buster’s confession had felt like … a dream? No, hope.
She now had hope where she didn’t before.
Rusty had told her he wasn’t looking for some fun even though that’s the label he wanted to put on it, only for her though. Everything Rusty did, he did it for her.
She could see it now, more clearly than ever before.
“I know my best friend. I know he wouldn’t want to hurt you, but that’s the truth of it. He loves you, wants to be with you, and he’s scared of you running away because he pushed you too hard.”
“He could never push me too hard.”
“Do I need to lock you in here?” Buster asked. “Fuck, I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“I’m not going to run away, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I’m not. In fact, I kind of need your help with something.”
Buster took a step back. “I don’t know if I trust you.”
She couldn’t help but laugh.
“Buster, I’m not a monster. I swear. I would tell you what I want to tell Rusty, but I think he’s the first and only person who should hear what I think and feel. At least, he can know that I’m not going away.”
Buster glared at her, and she could tell he was thinking of something. “You’re not going to hurt him?”
“N
o.”
“Then, so long as it’s nothing illegal. I’m willing to do whatever it takes, so long as Rusty gets his happy ending.”
Chapter Eleven
Rather than go to the town cookout, all Rusty wanted to do was sleep. He’d been driving nonstop for over a week now, trying to get some used, but fully refurbished parts. Vintage cars always had to have the extra effort put in, not that he minded doing the hard work. He didn’t. Working on cars, for him, was always a pleasure. His father had taught him at a young age how important it was to consider the kind of work you were doing for others.
Cars, even though to some they were just machines to get them from A to B, to others, they were an extension of their personality. His father taught him to respect the love a man or woman had for their car, because for them, it meant business.
Regardless of how tired he was, Casey still wanted him to go with her to town.
He couldn’t tell her no.
Well, he could, but it wouldn’t exactly work.
He’d not been able to be a very good boyfriend this week. Next week, his father was coming back to town, and well, he needed a break.
His father had already agreed for him to take a week off, and he needed it. He still had to convince Casey to stay, and he couldn’t do that sleeping on his ass.
Walking into town, he saw there were already so many tourists. This was a food event where people could show off their home cooking, but also for diners and fast food places to set up. There was a lot opening up in town, and they had to take a vote on the businesses they wanted to open up. This was part of their town. Rusty didn’t know if every single town did this, but he recommended it.
There was no risk of a business closing down if it had customers, and seeing as those would be the townsfolk, they got a say and a vote in what they wanted.
Of course, this was also just another reason or excuse to enjoy good food.
“Can you even eat anything here?” Rusty asked.
“I’m sure there will be something for me to eat. Don’t you worry about that. Let’s get some food in you. I’m betting that’s why you’re grouchy.”
No, he was grouchy because he didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, and well, lack of sleep was starting to catch up with him, and that was why he was here now.