Twelve Tiny Truths

by M Dauphin

  "I happen to love being around you too," she says, smiling up at me. Her fingers play their way up my arms and when she cups my face, letting her thumbs brush across my lips, she smiles softly.

  "I bought you something." I shift to hover over her and rest my leg between her thighs, kissing her chin.

  "What is it?" She curls into me and lets her fingers rest on my chest.

  "Are you busy three weeks from now?" As she opens her mouth, I put my hand over her lips. "You are, with me." I pull the concert tickets from my back pocket and read the name again. I've never bought anything for a woman except Bev, and it wasn't anything like this. "I don't want to steal your freedom, I don't want to change your mind, I don't want to make you love me, I just want to take your time," I sing in her ear.

  "You're a pretty good contender...just might replace my boyfriend." She giggles when I nip in her earlobe. "I love that song," she sighs.

  "So if I tell you you're going to hear that song live, will you love me? At least as much as your old, fat boyfriend Sam Hunt?"

  "You got me tickets to see Sam Hunt?" Her face brightens and she shoves me off before sitting up. "You bought tickets to my boyfriend?"

  "You've got tickets to me anytime you want, Chuck." I put the tickets in her hand. "But yes, I bought us tickets to Sam Hunt… Frankie included," I grumble the last words with a roll of my eyes that she can't see thankfully.

  "You bought all three of us tickets?" she whispers with her eyes wide and lips parted in surprise. "Frankie? Frank. My Frankie. The one you hate, you spent money on her?" A grin slides across her face and she squeals when I grunt a response. "Oh my God, Travis!" When she moves to throw her arms around me, it's a messy connection, but I grab her tight and ease her against me. "Thank you so much," she whispers before pulling back. "Frankie's going to love you for this. I think she may love him more than I do."

  "That's the only reason she's coming. So your attention’s on me instead of your boyfriend." I bite her lip before kissing her. "Say I'm your boyfriend."

  "Can I have two boyfriends? Or are you making me choose between you and Sam?"

  I bite her lip again. "You have to choose. And I'd choose wisely or I'm going to Sam Hunt alone."

  "I mean I really do like your dick." She chuckles. "I guess you're pretty cool. And your voice is sexy as hell, so that's a plus."

  "My dick is bigger and my voice is better. So say it."

  She gently kisses me before smiling across my lips and says, "You're my boyfriend, Travis. The only one I need."

  I kiss her through my smile, liking hearing her say both those things. "I'll always be the only one you need." Before she can explain the actual meaning of her words I intentionally took out of context, I lock our mouths again.

  "I'm making you invite Frankie yourself, you know," she says, grinning from ear to ear.

  "Concert tickets aren't enough?"

  "Nope. You'll call and invite her. You're the best. Now where's the pineapple?" She grins.

  Including her number, I shoot Travis a text telling him it'd be a good time to call Frankie. The concert's in a week and he still hasn't grown the balls to call and invite her yet. Their hatred for each other is almost comical, but it's getting old and I wish they'd just get along. Or at least be able to stand being in the same room as each other. They're the two most important people in my life right now. I know it seems fast, but Travis and I are becoming inseparable. If we're not together, we're texting or on the phone.

  "I'm here, bitch!" Frankie yells, slamming the door behind her. "With beer and Chinese food." She drops something on the counter.

  "An entire case of beer?" I grin, standing from the couch. Gus is on my heels as we walk into the kitchen.

  "It's been a long week. So yeah." She starts to say something but her phone rings and I hear her groan in annoyance then mumble, "Your perv is calling me."

  "Hmm, so weird. Are you gonna answer it?"

  "Yes?" she clips, obviously annoyed already.

  "Hi, Trav!" I yell. "Put him on speakerphone!"

  Frankie grumbles something and set's the phone hard on the counter.

  "Hey, Blue," his voice croons over the phone and Frankie groans.

  "Gross. I'm not sitting here for phone sex," she bitches and I laugh.

  "Franklin," he says sternly. "Funny, I dialed six six six and it called you."

  "Funny, I knew this conversation would be as long as your dick," she growls and, knowing Frankie, she's about to hang up so I snatch the phone off the counter and fumble with it, but at least she didn't hang up on him.

  "Travis doesn't have a small dick, Frankie. And Travis, stop poking the bear. We all know you're allergic to them." I laugh, holding the phone still.

  "Frank?" Travis asks, making sure she's still around.

  "Yes, Perv?"

  "Would you like to go to Sam Hunt with me and Charlie next week? If not, that's cool, burning this hundred and thirty dollar ticket I bought you is almost better than you coming along."

  "You bought me a ticket to go see Sam Hunt?" Her voice is full is hesitation. "What's in it for you, Perv?"

  "For me?" Travis belts out. "What the hell would be in it for me? Other than the fact once Sam starts playing, I won't be able to hear your pterodactyl voice."

  "I really want to hate you right now for comparing me to a fucking dead bird," she grumbles. "You're not gonna put me in a car and pay the driver to kill me are you?"

  "Wow… I never thought about that, Frank. Blue, you need some new, less insane friends," he calls out to me, then says, "Why, no, Frank, I'd never dream of your demise."

  "I don't believe it," she whispers then takes a breath and lets out a groan as she exhales. "I'd love to go see Sam Hunt next weekend, Perv."

  I let out a squeal and laugh when Frankie growls.

  "What do you tell him, Frankie?" I ask, waving the phone at her.

  "You're still a perv."

  "No," I warn.

  "Thank you," she mumbles.

  "Good jo-" I start but she cuts in.

  "Perv," she blurts, grabbing the phone and ending the call.

  "You ready to go yet? Why is this taking you so long? We're going to miss half the fucking concert." Frankie's whining from my bedroom door only makes me move slower.

  Honestly, I was ready ten minutes ago. Now I'm just fiddling and trying to piss her off. "Travis isn't even here yet. The concert doesn't start for two hours and the venue is twenty minutes away. Do some math, it'll be fine."

  Just then a knock comes over the door and she groans. "Finally!"

  After some bickering between the two of them that I'm starting to block out, we make it to the venue with enough time for Frankie to down at least three frozen margaritas before the opening band even starts.

  "I'd never peg you for a country music type of man," I say to Travis, sitting on the blanket with his arms wrapped around me.

  "To be honest, I never listened to country until I moved here. Bev kind of beat it into my head. It took me a few months to invest in headphones and an upgraded phone that I could store music on, but by then it was too late. I'd already learned the words to one too many country songs. There are only a few I like though." He kisses my temple.

  "Why'd you move here anyway?" The music from the opening band starts and it's nothing but twangy country. I'm all about Sam Hunt, but please don't force me to listen to these fiddles. I spin in Trav's lap and rest my hands in his. "You never talk about your life before Bev. It's like there isn't one."

  "There isn't." I feel his shoulders lift in a shrug. "I told you, the man I am now is the only one that matters. Bad kid, prison, shit I'm not proud of."

  I sigh and lay my head on his chest. "Well, whatever brought you to Oregon, I'm happy it did. I'm slowly becoming addicted to you." I close my eyes as the band finally moves on to the next song. "Who is this?" I ask Frankie, who plops down next to us.

  "No fucking clue. They suck," she bitches. "Who wants more drinks?" She slaps me on
the arm and I laugh. "Travis?"

  "I'm driving, not drinking, Frank."

  "Well," she spits. "I'm getting another one. I'll be back."

  "She's going to regret this at work tomorrow." I laugh.

  "You sure you don't want a drink? You think you'd let me take advantage of you drunk?" His hands start to make their way to inappropriate places for a public place.

  "I can do that just as easily sober," I hum, pushing back into him.

  "Yeah?" He chuckles. "And how far will you go sober, Blue?" he whispers in my ear as his slow moving hand passes my belly button.

  "Is it dark outside?" I whisper, already wet from his touch.

  "It's dusk," he says, his fingertips slipping just under my waistband. "No one's looking though." His voice is quiet and deep in my ear but I can hear the humor like he's waiting for me to stop him. When he's this close to me though, I don't own the ability to stop him. "Don't move," he whispers and his hand suddenly leaves me.

  A few seconds later, his arms come around me again and the cool, refreshing breeze is blocked by the blanket he wrapped around us and his hand is sliding back downward. When I don't stop him, his fingers slip inside my thong and immediately find their way to my clit before slowly slipping inside me. His breath is warm on my ear and he quietly groans while nipping my earlobe.

  "Shit," I gasp, trying my hardest to appear unaffected. If people are watching, they're about to get a damn good show.

  "Shhh." He quietly laughs in my ear. "Bite your lip and close your eyes, Blue." His fingers start to pump faster and his palm presses against my clit.

  I do as I'm told but it doesn't help the moans that keep escaping. I'm so wet I wouldn't be surprised if anyone else around us could hear it, but I pray they can't.

  Fuck, this feels good. A low chuckle rumbles from him when I push against his hand harder. He brings me to the brink of orgasm right here in the grass, and just as I feel it start to course through me, I tuck my head and clamp my teeth onto his arm that's wrapped around me. His lips land on my neck before he starts to chuckle as I throb around his fingers still inside me, rubbing at that damn spot.

  Suddenly he lifts his head and says, "Double fisting it there, huh, Frank?"

  "Two for the price of one!" I hear her slurp something and shake my head, attempting to right myself and catch my breath. The blanket falls off us and the cool breeze starts to calm down my heated body.

  "Are you drinking both at the same time again?" I grin.

  "Again? This is a normal behavior?" Travis asks, laughing.

  "It was her signature move at parties in college. They called her Double Fistin' Frankie." I laugh way too hard, my body still attempting to recover from that orgasm.

  "I can't say I'm surprised." He moves away from me and stands then bends and kisses the top of my head. "I need to find a bathroom." He touches the tip of my nose and my wetness transfers from his fingers and I gasp.

  "Awwww, you two are so fucking cute together! I love it so much!" Frankie blurts from the blanket next to me and my eyes go wide. "You got a little somethin' on your nose, Chuck." She tugs the blanket and wipes my nose off as I freeze in mortification.

  By the time Sam gets on stage Frankie's three sheets to the wind, singing, and apparently breaking out some fancy dance moves. The crowd erupts in cheers and Sam moves straight into his first song, breaking only for a short 'welcome to the show'. By the fifth song, Body Like A Backroad comes on and Frankie's screaming almost louder than him.

  "LET ME HAVE YOUR BABIES, SAM! I LOVE YOU!"

  "She's not going to have a voice tomorrow," I say, laughing at her. "It's been a while since she's let loose this hard."

  "What about you, Chuck?" Travis says and his arms that were just around me let go. He moves to stand in front of me and squats, taking my hands and putting them on his shoulders.

  "What are you doing?" I blurt, but get no answer as he grabs my leg.

  "Come on, Chuck."

  Suddenly I'm being forced onto his shoulders with Frankie's help.

  "Hold on, Blue," he says standing to his full height that feels a hell of a lot taller than I thought. "LET FRANKIE HAVE YOUR BABIES, SAM!" he screams toward the stage as she squeals next to us.

  It takes me a moment to adjust to being so tall. How does he do this every day?

  When House Party, one of my favorite songs, comes on I belt out the lyrics right along with Frankie and, surprisingly, Travis. He knows them all! At the end of Raised On It I'm no longer worried about Travis letting me fall and Frankie and I are singing along at the top of our lungs. Granted, Frankie's lungs are out of tune and slurred, but it's still the best time we’ve had together in a while and it's all thanks to Travis.

  Sam takes a break to talk to the audience and Frankie takes the opportunity to scream at him, "TAKE MY PANTIES HOME WITH YOU, SAM!"

  I die in a fit of laughter then hear Travis curse and move to frantically let me off his shoulders.

  "TAKE THEM!" she yells.

  "Frankie, put your damn skirt down," Travis says, sounding like he's struggling. "Keep your underwear on! For the love of God! Charlie, please, do something!" he begs like he's wrestling with her to stay dressed.

  "I can't!" I laugh, attempting to catch my breath. "THROW THEM, FRANKIE!"

  "Oh…Jesus," Travis mutters like what he just saw scarred him for life. "Those just landed on some huge bald guy's head. Time to move, girls." His arm wraps around my stomach and he's pulling me away while Frankie's hyena laughs are at my side; I'm assuming he's dragging her too.

  "He'll have fun rubbing off to those, tonight!" She cackles as we come to a stop and the music starts again.

  "Hey, it's your favorite song, Travis," I smile, squeezing his hand when Take Your Time starts.

  "You know why this is my favorite song?" He moves closer and pulls me against him as his hands grab my waist, slowly moving us to the music.

  "Because the way Sam sings it makes you swoon?" I grin, wrapping my arms around him and sway to the song he insists on singing to me at least once a week.

  "I do swoon for Sam. After this performance, I decided he's my boyfriend. But no…one day I saw you in that little bistro you love by your apartment. This song was on the speakers and I couldn't stop watching you, thinking I'd like to recite these words to that fine peace of Oregon ass at that table ignoring the shit out of me." He grins against my lips.

  I laugh and slap his chest. "Why didn't you come say hi? When was this?"

  "This was a while ago. The day after our first encounter when you confused me for your friend Steve. But I didn't recognize you because you wore fucking spectacles in the bar, Charlie. I kept trying to catch your eye. You weren't having it." He laughs and I nudge him. "Hey, I've always wanted to ask…do you really have a friend named Steve?"

  "I don't." I wrap my arms back around him as the song comes to an end. "Thank you for tonight, Travis. It's been perfect."

  "I haven't had this much fun since I can remember, and Frankie wasn't that bad," he mumbles before softly kissing me. "But I'd do anything for you, Blue."

  It's been a few weeks since that night, and I've seen a change in the way Frankie reacts to Travis. Of course, she'll never let us know, but I think he's growing on her. It's about damn time, because he's officially grown on me and I don't plan on letting him go.

  He's been busy at the orchard lately, being peak season and all, and summertime always amps up the dating sites so work on my end is piling up. Tonight we're heading to a bar just down the street from my apartment to finally take a break from work. Of course Frankie's coming along, so when Travis asked if it'd be okay if we met up with one of his friends, I was all over it. Maybe it'll take some of Frankie's attention off me and direct it to something that can help relieve her stress.

  "So what's his name again?" I ask, sliding into the booth right before Travis pushes in next to me.

  "Jeff. He's a good guy, but can be annoying, okay? Just…just give him a chance."

  Hol
ding his arm, I feel he's tapping his fingers on the table nervously and I reach over laying my hand on his.

  "Hey, I have a Frankie. You have a Jeff. We gotta love our friends, right?" I give his hand a squeeze. "Speaking of Frankie, she should be here any minute. I thought she left before us."

  "What the fuck kind of bar is this?" She huffs immediately after I finish my sentence. "Why's it so gross and…smoky?"

  "Fuck! You brought the hottest bitches I've ever seen in here!" A boisterous voice gets closer to the table right after Frankie's tantrum.

  "Dude," Travis huffs. "Just, shut up and sit down."

  "I'm Frankie," she says. "Single. Successful. Sexy. And I hate assholes…and Pervs."

  I take a breath and let it out, shaking my head.

  "You loved me a few weeks ago, Frank," Travis says, laughing.

  "I don't recall such a thing. I remember you purchased someone else a ticket and needed me to take it. I remember getting drunk, and then I remember waking up in my own throw up. Nothing about loving you."

  "Convenient," Travis mutters. "Jeff man, this is Blue."

  I start to extend my hand and he grabs it. It starts to raise, but just as quickly, Travis yanks it out of his hand. "Don't put your nasty mouth on her, man," he snickers.

  "Dump the loser and I'll show you a real man," Jeff says.

  I take a deep breath and remind myself this is Travis's friend. I think maybe his only friend ‘cause he never mentions others. Besides that, he puts up with Frankie being a bitch. I can put up with his friend being a pig.

  "Nice to meet you, Jeff," I say, resting my hands in my lap, safely away from his lips.

  "Let me get you a drink, Blue. Frank, I know you want one for each hand." Travis stands before I can say anything and I hear Jeff 'oomph' like he was just punched before I feel the breeze of Travis walking by.

  "I didn't realize this was a double date, Charlie," Frankie hisses at me. "I would have shaved more…precisely!"

  "Please don't talk to me about shaving precisely, Frankie." I laugh. "You're fine. It's not a double date. I think Jeff's recently divorced. Anyway, is he cute?" I grin across the table at her.