How to Liv

by Megan Keith

  “You’re right.” I sighed.

  “So tell him that.”

  “What? That you’re right?” I laughed half-heartedly, staring at nothing in particular.

  “Yes, you can tell him that, too - I’m always right. Now come out with me on Tuesday next week, dinner and a movie.”

  “You’re asking me out on a date?” I asked, batting my eyelashes at her, holding my hands to my chest.

  “No, I’m telling you, babe.” Karen winked.

  “I dunno, you want me to go out on a school night?” I joked.

  “Yes, it’s tight-arse Tuesday, half price cinema tickets. The kids will be at Matt’s, I need to get out and do something. Alright?”

  “Sounds good.”

  Ally was all excited before she left for work that night. She and Rachel had found a place to live. Not only did they have approval already but they could move in this weekend because the place was vacant. Talk about luck! When she rushed out the door to go to work I breathed a sigh of relief. I was happy for her, and happy for me that she was leaving, but I also wasn’t in the best of moods. I had smiled and given Ally the impression that I was, though my mind was on Joel. I was anxiously waiting to hear from him. I had tried calling him but his phone went to voicemail so I hung up and texted him instead.

  I’m sorry about last night. Please call me when you get a chance.

  That was four hours ago. Maybe Joel and I had ended before we ever began. Maybe he was going to give up on me already. I was too much of a basket case. I showered and lay down on the couch with the TV on, but again, I wasn’t paying any attention to it. I almost had a heart attack when, at ten o’clock, my phone started ringing and I saw Joel’s name light up the screen.

  “Joel. I’m so sorry,” I said in a rush when I answered.

  “Please don’t apologise. I’m the one that’s sorry. You told me all about what had been done to you in the past and I promised to be patient. I’m sorry I wasn’t.”

  “I thought you were giving up on me. I was worried when I didn’t hear from you.”

  “I just… had a lot on today. That’s all.” I had a feeling there was more that he wanted to say so I waited. “Liv, you’re too important to give up on.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief as my heart beat erratically at his words.

  “Well, I’m sorry and I promise to try harder,” I said, closing my eyes and lying back on the couch.

  “Me too.”

  “What time did you get home from work tonight?” I asked after a moment of silence.

  Our conversation turned to more mundane topics about our days and our jobs. We talked about my plans for a movie next week with Karen, and he told me of a party that Raelene and Adam had decided to throw for no reason this Saturday night. Our chatter flowed and I relaxed knowing that all was right in the world again. I hoped that we could put all this crap behind us. I hoped that I could do better the next time Ally and Joel were together. I was going to find out soon because Joel offered to help Ally move on the weekend, more for my sake than for hers.

  “Liv?”

  “Mmm?”

  “I, uh…”

  “Yes?” I said on a yawn.

  “Never mind. You’re tired. I’ll let you go to sleep.”

  “Shit, I’m sorry Joel. I can’t stop yawning, but I don’t want to say goodbye yet.”

  “Me either. Are you in bed?”

  “On the couch.”

  A comfortable silence came between us and I was just happy to listen to him breathe. I yawned again. “I wish I was beside you on that couch right now so you could fall asleep on my lap.”

  “That sounds nice,” I mumbled sleepily, closing my eyes and imagining him beside me.

  “I could hold you and run my fingers through your hair… watch you sleep.”

  “Okay, that sounds more than nice.”

  “Or I could run my finger down your neck to inside your – hey, what are you wearing?” His sudden question surprised me and my eyes flew open. I looked down at my pj’s and again wished I had some more sexy night wear. My pale blue cotton shorts and navy blue singlet weren’t exactly enticing.

  “The same as last night,” I admitted sheepishly.

  “Hot! Okay, so I would slip my hand inside the top of that dark little singlet top of yours-”

  “You remembered?”

  “Are you kidding me? As if I could forget! That tight little top was cut just low enough and those pale blue shorts? Mmm, you’ve got a fantastic arse.” His voice had taken on a husky sexiness that now had me wide awake and breathing heavily. “So, I would slip my hand inside that top and grab a handful, lightly squeezing, before circling my finger around your nipple. Can you feel it babe?” I groaned. “Imagine I’m running my fingers slowly down the middle of your body. Are you getting wet?”

  “Joel.” God, yes!

  “I’m dipping my fingers underneath the elastic of your knickers, slipping them down, then thrusting my fingers into your tight, wet, pussy.”

  “God, I wish you were here,” I muttered, thoroughly turned on.

  Silence.

  “Joel?”

  Nothing.

  I pulled my phone from my ear and checked the display.

  Gone.

  The call had been disconnected. What the…? Should I call him back? I’m so royally turned on. How could he leave me like this?

  I looked at the time, quarter to eleven, maybe I should just go to bed. Why would he hang up without saying goodbye? I think over what was said and then it hits me, ‘I wish you were here...’ He wouldn’t really be coming here now… would he? I started pacing the lounge room and then I ran to the bathroom and brushed my teeth, ran a comb through my hair and then I remembered how Joel roughed it up the other day. He liked it messy so I shoved my fingers in and mussed it up again. I looked down at what I was wearing and considered changing. Into what? Joel liked this outfit, or so he said.

  I went to my room and tidied it up, though there wasn’t much to be done there. I looked at the time. It takes about ten minutes for Joel to get here from his place. So he’d be here in about another five. That’s if he’s coming. Maybe his phone went flat and that’s why our call was disconnected.

  I sat back on the couch and stared at the TV for a minute before switching it off. I replayed the conversation in my head and got excited as I remembered the words that he had spoken.

  Time sped up, time slowed down.

  And then a flash of light went across my front window and I heard his car come to a stop in the driveway. My heart thumped heavily in my chest when I heard his door shut. I stood and gradually walked to the door. He knocked before I had a chance to turn the handle. I slowly opened it and faced the man that was quickly becoming a piece of me.

  My missing piece.

  “Hi,” he said with a sexy smirk before rushing forward and grabbing hold of my face with both hands, planting his lips on mine. We staggered through the doorway, through the entryway, up the hall and into my room, with our lips firmly attached and our hands roving. I gasped when he roughly shoved me down on the bed. “I’ve missed you,” he admitted shamelessly and then lay his body on mine.

  “You only saw me last night,” I giggled as his tongue touched the corner of my mouth.

  “So long ago,” he spoke against my lips, “and we didn’t get to do this.” A hand reached down to cup my sex and he applied pressure that caused me to groan.

  “Or this,” I said as tried with all of my might to roll him on the bed. I wanted to straddle him and grind into him, making him crazy like he did me. But he was heavy and so much bigger than me and he wouldn’t budge. I pushed his shoulders and bucked my hips causing Joel to laugh.

  “What are you trying to do?”

  “Roll you over.” I locked my legs around his, pushing my pelvis into him.

  “What if I don’t want to be rolled? I kind of like being on top and in control.” He smiled down at me, grabbing hold of my wrists, he pinned them on the bed
above my head.

  “So I’ve noticed.” He pushed his hips into mine and I felt his rock hard cock straining through the thin material between us. I gasped with pleasure.

  “You like it,” he said smugly.

  “Maybe.” I gazed into his eyes and let out a sigh, my lips curling into a smile.

  “Maybe?”

  He leant in to capture my mouth, thrusting his tongue hungrily inside. Desire coursed through me. I closed my eyes briefly and tried to move my hands from above my head but he held them tight. He abruptly pulled back and I lifted my head to follow him with my lips. He sniggered, evading me.

  “I’d say definitely.”

  When I opened my eyes, he had his back arched so that he was out of my reach. He stopped applying pressure with his groin, making me feel needy. He wouldn’t allow me to get closer to him.

  “Joel.”

  “Yes, Liv? What is it?” he taunted me, still keeping his distance. A cheeky grin on his face.

  “Please…” Touch me! I wanted to scream.

  “Please what?” He raised his eyebrows at me.

  “Gee, you really love this dirty talk don’t you?”

  “Dirty talk? I haven’t been talking dirty yet,” he said with a twinkle in his eye.

  “You play dirty.”

  “That’s different.” He smirked.

  “I know what you’re waiting for.”

  He was teasing me, wanting me to tell him exactly what I needed. I loved this playful Joel but he drove me fucking nuts, too!

  “Oh?”

  “You think I won’t say it?” I twisted my lips trying to stop from smiling at him. I wanted to be sexy and demanding for him, just like he wanted, but at the same time it was really hard to keep straight face. I wriggled beneath him trying to get some traction between our bodies but it wasn’t working, he was still keeping me at bay. I squeezed my eyes shut to focus, when I reopened them I focused on his desire-filled ones. “Please fuck me now!” I demanded softly.

  A guttural moan escaped Joel’s mouth before he let my hands go and started ripping at my clothes. Seeing him losing control and stripping me bare within seconds had me feeling the most desired I ever had, the most turned on I had ever been, and it also had me feeling something else… love. And that really scared me.

  I jumped awake when I heard a loud bang. Sitting up in bed I heard stumbling footsteps and kissing sounds, followed by giggles. The sound got louder and I eventually realised it was Ally, she’d obviously brought someone home. I heard a moan followed by more banging sounds, I think they were hitting walls as they made their way to her room. Eventually I heard Ally’s door shut and I lay my head back on my pillow.

  After a little while, I heard more noises coming from across the hall. It was hard to ignore. I got comfortable, laying on my side. Squeezing my eyes shut tight, I tried my best to go back to sleep.

  “Let’s give them a run for their money,” Joel murmured from beside me in the dark. His voice startled me and I jumped. I hadn’t realised that he’d woken up, too.

  “What? No!” I whispered back.

  “Why not?” He shifted slightly and I felt his breath against my face.

  “That’s my sister!”

  “So? She obviously doesn’t care if you hear her.” His hand reached for me in the dark and he squeezed my hip. “You sound so much better than she does,” he whispered seductively, leaning closer to me. “I love the noises you make.” He kissed the side of my face, his hand trailing down to squeeze my arse. “And I fuckin’ love being the one to make you come.” When his tongue invaded my mouth I couldn’t think of a reason to argue. I kissed him for a moment before he lifted his mouth from mine.

  “Okay, you’re on.” I pushed him onto his back and this time he let me. I straddled him and it struck me just how lucky it was that we had both fallen asleep naked, when I felt his shaft pulsate against my sex. I rubbed on him and he moaned really loudly. I was tempted to tell him to be quiet when I heard a loud rumble from across the hall reminding me what we were supposed to be doing. Outdo them. Right.

  “Tell me,” he urged.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Tell me what you want.”

  I leant down and licked the shell of his ear before replying quietly, “I want to suck you.” I’m getting better at this dirty talk!

  “You do, do you?” he asked, not exactly quietly, and I giggled. “Then what’s stopping you?”

  I moved down the bed. I took a hold of his hard length, licking the tip. He moaned.

  “Yes, that’s it!”

  I gasped at his words and sat up, putting my hand over my mouth as I laughed.

  “Oh, don’t stop, baby. Please!” he said loudly with a hint of humour to his voice.

  There was no way Ally and her partner would not have heard him. My face was flush with embarrassment. The sound across the hall picked up a notch.

  “Oh, Liv!”

  My hand was still holding him but I wasn’t moving, Joel had no reason to call out. I looked down to his face and in the darkness I could barely make out the smile he had on it.

  “So fucking good!” he again exaggerated, I really wasn’t doing anything.

  He reached out and twisted my nipple and I screamed, “Ahh!”

  “Yeah? You like that?” he said noisily.

  No, that fuckin’ hurt! My hand unconsciously squeezed him and he groaned for real.

  “Liv?” he whispered, sitting up. His mouth captured mine and my hand started moving up and down. Then he whispered, just for my ears, “I want you so fucking bad.”

  That was all it took for me to forget whatever else was happening in this house and I instead took him in my mouth.

  When, moments later, he loudly said, “That’s it, fuck me with your mouth!” I was that into the moment I couldn’t care less if my sister heard or not.

  I decided to pass on Friday night drinks. Karen had taken the day off to spend with her kids before they went to their dad’s for the week and Joel was working late, again. So I went home straight from work and helped Ally pack up her belongings for the move the next day. I’d spoken to Joel and we’d decided to just see each other in the morning when he was coming over to help Ally move anyway. It felt weird not seeing him when I could have, but at the same time it was Ally’s last night and it felt like a good time to spend, just the two of us.

  We ordered Chinese takeaway and packed boxes. The earlier tension between us all but forgotten - we actually had fun. She never mentioned anything about her company or the noises from my room the night before and I never brought it up either - I was too embarrassed.

  The next morning Joel came over with his ute. I was surprised to discover that he’d brought Adam to help, too.

  “How’s it goin’, Liv?” Adam greeted me with a firm bear hug after Joel had finally freed me from his.

  “I’m good and you?”

  “I’ll be better once this is all done,” he replied, surveying the boxes Ally and I had moved into the lounge room. “You coming to our place tonight?”

  I eyed Joel who was standing by his side. He gave me a wink that heated my insides.

  “That would be a yes,” I replied with a smile.

  “Great! I’ll be sure to let Raelene know to clear the spare room.” He moved past me to grab a box. I watched as Ally introduced herself and thanked him for coming and they both left to start loading the ute.

  “Spare room?” I asked Joel as he swept me back into his arms.

  “Did I not mention that we’d be staying the night?” He kissed my cheek.

  “No, you neglected to tell me that.”

  “Well I plan on drinking, so no driving for me. I also plan on getting you drunk, so they’ll be no driving for you either.”

  “Oh, really?”

  “Yes and then I can have my wicked way with you.” He nuzzled my neck and bent me backwards causing me to squeal.

  “Like you wouldn’t get your way with me otherwise.”


  “I hope you’ve got earplugs Adam,” I heard Ally say, I hadn’t even realised that they’d walked back into the room. I peered at her from around the side of Joel’s arm, my face heating at her words. “These two are damn loud!” She started giggling and Adam joined in with his booming laugh.

  “I’m sure Raelene and I can give them a run for their money!” he exclaimed, shaking his head and collecting another box.

  Joel and I almost fell over to the floor in a fit of laughter at that.

  Luckily Ally and Rachel really didn’t have much stuff to move so we were finished by lunch time. They had a fair bit of furniture and white goods to go shopping for, I just hoped they’d figure out their finances soon, or at least bother our parents instead of me when it came to doing their washing and such. I was so glad to have my place back! Joel drove Adam home and came back with some fish and chips for our lunch.

  “That smells awesome! I’m starved,” I said, grabbing the pack of food from his arms as soon as he walked in the front door. Dumping the parcel on the coffee table in the lounge, I sat on the couch and unwrapped it. “Do you like vinegar?” I asked as I held the bottle poised over the top of the chips ready to pour.

  “Yeah, sure.” Joel sat down stiffly beside me. I poured a liberal amount over our lunch and then squirted a blob of sauce on the paper. Dipping a chip, I took a bite then turned toward Joel.

  “What?” I said, sucking in some air around my mouthful of hot chip. “I’m hungry.”

  “I can tell.” He chuckled. “I bought you something.” He pulled his arm out from behind his back and handed me a rectangular present wrapped in plain blue paper. I dropped the chip back on the table and quickly swallowed my mouthful.

  “Why?”

  “Just because.”

  “A just because present? I’ve never gotten one of those before!” I leant over and gave him a hug and a kiss.

  “So excited and you haven’t even opened it yet! I think I better buy just because gifts more often. Open it.”

  I tore the wrapping off to find a Bluray DVD of Coldplay’s ‘Mylo Xyloto’. I remembered that incredible first phone call when Joel and I started to get to know one another.