The Keys to Jericho

by Ren Alexander

  Exasperated from this horrific conversation, I heave a vigorous sigh. “How can he figure out something about Kat from watching me?”

  He dubiously angles his head, giving me some kind of pitying expression. “Jericho, because it’s your secret, too.” Shit. Did Kat tell him about what I said or suggested last night? Or did he see me getting off on her?

  Glaring at him, I shake my head. “I’m three seconds from committing your murder. This conversation has made no fucking sense. Are you drunk?”

  He swiftly grins. “Still sober.”

  Footsteps pound off the stairs and I look to see Rio. I also subtly peer up to Kat’s room again and see the light is off, disappointing me because I want to check on her, too. Though, I don’t know what I’d say to her, since she seemed uncomfortable with me after our—or my—incident.

  Dash asks, “How’s Kat?”

  Rio says, “She was getting ready to take a shower. She said she’s tired, but didn’t say much else.” He and Calder exchange a look, putting me on alert.

  Dash’s grin returns. “I was just telling Jericho that Kat has something to tell him.”

  Rio smiles, but warily asks, “Oh, yeah?”

  Restless, I sit back and put my ankle over my other knee, and edgily ask, “What is it, Duquesne? Tell me.”

  He laughs as he picks up his beer and sits down. “No way. Not going there.”

  I glower at them and bite, “So, you both think this is damn funny?”

  Dash says, “Just funny that you don’t see it from either side.”

  Rio says to Dash, “He doesn’t want to see it.”

  I brusquely ask, “You know what I find funny, Duquesne? That you are otherwise awkward around the opposite sex, so why is that you and Kat are now chummy? Is she part of your family now, too?”

  Rio crosses his ankles and shrewdly smiles. “That’s a possibility.”

  Dash eagerly nods and says to Rio, “She could always marry your cousin Vince.”

  I doubtfully spit, “The zookeeper?”

  Lowering his beer, Rio coolly shrugs. “He’s available. I think he’d appreciate her.”

  I agitatedly laugh. “Yeah, and she’d appreciate him smelling like ostrich shit.”

  Dash pounds his fist on the arm of his chair and yelps, “He could teach her how to drive one of those golf carts!”

  Rio grins. “Or how to drive a stick.”

  Dash laughs. “Yeah. His stick.”

  I snarl, “Fuck, no.”

  Rio’s grin turns up a level and he glances at Calder. “Ok. How about she marry you, Dash?”

  Dash appears to contemplate that, tilting his blond head side to side. “She has a nice rack. That’ll be good for when she pops out my babies soon.”

  My mouth drops open. “What the fuck?”

  Dash smiles at my horror. “I haven’t even asked her out. I guess I could. We’re friends and all.”

  I grip the arm of my chair and seethe, “The hell you will.”

  “What, Jericho? You’ve known her since eleventh grade. So? You haven’t stayed in touch with her. I have since college, and she’s single.”

  I think I bent the chair with my grip. “I don’t care. You’re not dating her.”

  He puts his hand up. “Wait. I can’t date Hadley. I can’t date Kat. I can understand Hadley, but why not Kat?”

  I growl through my teeth, “Because like I’ve already told you, I said no.”

  Rio interjects, “Jare, you haven’t dated Kat, haven’t had sex with her or even have an interest in her, so the Bro Code doesn’t apply.” He turns to Dash and punches his arm. “I say ask her out, Douche.”

  I angrily retort, “And I say you’re asking for a body bag.” Kat said we had been dating this week, but that’s something else I’m not sharing with them. They’d make it into a huge joke right now, and I’d have to commit two murders.

  “Wow, Jericho. You’re awfully jealous for being only a friend.”

  I insistently snarl, “I’m not jealous.” I internally wince as I steal my dad’s word. “Just concerned.”

  Dash looks confused. “About me? That’s a first.”

  “About her, you prick.”

  Dash laughs. “Because I’m so hazardous to her health.”

  “No, but if you ask her out, I’ll be hazardous to your health.”

  Rocking his beer bottle on the arm of his chair, Rio mutters, “Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt, Jare.”

  Reaching my limit with them, I snap, “Okay. I’m done. I’m tired of both of you, too.” Far from tired. I won’t be able to sleep. As I stand, since my pubes are glued to my legs and junk, the hair pulls at my skin, and I try not to make a face. “I’m going to bed.”

  Dash says, “Just remember which room is yours, Jericho.”

  I scowl. “Fuck you.”

  “Buy me dinner, show me the goods, and then we’ll talk.” He ridiculously grins at me and I have to turn my head so I don’t laugh. Idiot.

  I still hear them laughing as I stomp my way up the steps, and open the sliding door. Fuckers.

  I head upstairs to get a change of clothes and to take a shower. Walking into the room, I turn on the light and going to my suitcase, a gray box propped against a pillow catches my eye. I pick up the box of condoms with a Post-It note reading, Watch those swimmers! Love, Dash and Rio.

  “What’s this damn shit?” I ask out loud, looking around my room, like they’re going to suddenly jump out of the closet or from under the bed.

  I don’t need their approval or even them knowing what I’m doing with Kat, if we even do anything more at this point.

  Taking the box to the hall, I whip it into Dash’s room, knocking it off the dresser with a clatter and then a light thud.

  When I’m done with my shower, I creep down to Kat’s room and stand at her door, listening for anything, but it’s quiet. I deliberate knocking, but ultimately decide against it. Hoping for tomorrow to be a fresh start, I sigh as I run my hand into my damp hair, flicking water into the air as I go back to my bedroom.

  Unsettled, I turn on the reading lamp, sitting on the nightstand, and tear down the blankets, tossing extra pillows onto the floor. Flopping onto the bed, I put my hands behind my head and stare up at the dimly-lit ceiling, reminding me of watching clouds with Kat at the park, or rather, me watching her, watching clouds at the park.

  The things Dash and Rio said are assaulting my mind, making me too jumpy to sleep. Kat will not be dating Dash, but if I warn her that he may ask, she’ll take that as me sounding jealous. And I’m… Shit. I have no right to be possessive of her, but Dash will not be laying any kind of fucking claim on her. Because even if it’s unknown to them and…temporary…I already have. The day I met her.

  A knock on my door, jolts me out of my daze. Sighing, I warn, “Just so you know, I have my lighter with me, so enter at your own risk.”

  The oak door opens and expectantly waiting for Dash to bother me with some stupid shit, Kat quietly walks in, and my eyes widen in surprise. The hall light bathes the entrance to my room as my wide-eyed stare takes in her dark gray nightshirt skimming her legs just above her knees, and the glow of her loose, shoulder-length, wavy, brown and purple hair. There’s no dark eye makeup on her face, and no blue contacts, and even if her hair is streaked, she looks nearly the way she used to in high school, only at this moment, Kat Merrick is the sexiest I’ve ever seen her.

  Without giving me a smile or a reason why she’s here, she closes the door, darkening the room to just the small glow illuminating half of my bed. I prop myself up on my elbows. “Kit Kat, what’s wrong?”

  I hear the click of the lock, and her dark brown eyes are focused—determined—as she walks to the side of my bed. Her gaze intently rakes over my body, and I grow hard, in full view, as if she’s conjuring me. Still unsmiling, she watches my cock unfailingly respond to her presence, as it always has.

  She says nothing to me, but I see her chest rising and falling quicker, in tune w
ith mine. I whisper, “Kat, what are you doing in here? I thought you went to sleep.”

  She slowly shakes her head, keeping her eyes on my full-scale erection, and whispers, “Not tired.”

  I noisily gulp to open my constricting throat, and unevenly ask, “What is it you want then?” Fuck. Don’t hurt me again. Tell me you want me.

  Her eyes drag to my face and she unexpectedly puts her knee on the edge of the bed, climbing on top of me, and by impulse, I pull her forward to avoid sitting on my dick, even after what I just did to her outside. And even though she’s sitting on top of me in only a shirt, I’m still not sure what it is she wants. When her nightshirt slides up, I stroke my fingertips over the outside of her legs.

  Nevertheless, with her sitting on me, and Kat having seen and felt my cock, I’m no longer worried about hiding my hard-on too much from her, so I take in the sight. Her legs are snug against my body, so I can’t see up her shirt. I need to change that.

  As we stare at each other, I put my hands on her knees, urging her legs up. When she moves them, my eyes drop as her shirt gapes open, revealing that she’s not wearing underwear.

  I whisper up to her, “Fuck, Kit Kat.” She doesn’t respond, only watches my reaction, and I look back to her pussy. Without touching her, I notice how aroused she is from her delicious scent, and as I push her shirt up further, the light reflects how wet she is, and I instinctually lick my lips.

  I hear her loud swallow and I swiftly glance up to her face to see that her cheeks are also wet. “Kit Kat, what?”

  Her tears are her only reply, so when I try to sit up, I’m shell-shocked when she pushes me back down, as she falls on top of me, her lips seizing mine before my head even hits the pillow. As much as I want to ask why she’s crying again, and now doing this after rejecting me last night, my mouth won’t let me, just as my cock is screaming to finally unite with her pussy.

  My hands move underneath her shirt, lifting it up, and I grip her ass as we kiss hard and frantically. Her hair hangs over me, inundating me with her shampoo, mixed with her usual scent, plus her arousal. She does the shifting thing with her hips, and I now realize she was turned on when she was on top of me at the park. Remembering she’s not wearing underwear, I reach up and push her shoulder so she sits up. We pant as our kiss ends, and when my hand trails from her ass, over her hip, and to her pussy, she moans.

  “Jesus, Kat,” I groan as my fingers dig into her, feeling how slick she is, sliding my fingers in and out, and making her loudly sigh, followed by another moan.

  She breathlessly says, “Only for you, Jared.” Biting her lip, she whimpers when my thumb caresses her clit. Liking how that sounded, I stroke with more pressure, causing her legs to involuntarily open wider and for her to push against my hand.

  With my other hand, I run my fingers up her thigh and through her pubic hair, getting them wet, wanting to touch her pussy as much as possible, in case I never have the chance to again, but I’m already resolved to ensure I do.

  Since my hands are busy, but I’m not finished exploring her, I whisper, “Take your shirt off.”

  Kat immediately complies, exposing her breasts and I stop fingering her to gawk at what she’s been teasing me with in her tank tops. Her nipples are erect and with my fingers still buried inside her, I say, “I’ve fantasized so fucking long about seeing you like this.” I then mindlessly blurt out, “You’re so goddamned beautiful, Kit Kat.”

  Her cheeks are wet, but her brown eyes light up when she smiles.

  Needing to feel her tits, but also needing to taste her, I take my hands off her, one at a time, and methodically lick my fingers as she watches. Her legs rhythmically press against me as her eyes widen. I slowly lick the tip of my index finger, as we look at each other, and I say, “You’re fucking delicious. Give me more.”

  Grinding her hips into my abdomen, she whimpers, “Jared.”

  Reaching up, my wet thumbs glide over her nipples and I close my eyes to steady myself, so I don’t come in my underwear for the second time tonight.

  Kat moans and holds onto my hands fondling her tits, her pussy soaking my stomach. She snarls, “Jared, as much as I love what you’re doing to me, let’s cut the bullshit.”

  “What?” My eyes fly open to her face and my heart crashes to a painful halt, expecting her to tell me something that I might not like, according to Dash.

  “We’ve been doing this damn foreplay routine since high school.”

  I’m afraid, but I don’t want to show it, even though it’s most likely displaying on my face and when I tentatively ask, “What do you want then, Kit Kat?”

  She swiftly leans down and growls, “I want you, Jared.” She then breathlessly whispers, “Of course I fucking want you.”

  Panting as my heart kick starts, I stammer, “You… You said you didn’t.”

  Her eyes fill with tears again. “I didn’t want what you were proposing we do, but if that’s the only part of you I’m going to get before you leave, then I’ll deal with it.” She blinks through her unshed tears and says, “I’ve wanted you since we met. I wanted to lose my virginity to you, but you didn’t want me.”

  I tersely inhale and argue, “Yes, I fucking did. You’re all I think about when my hand is wrapped around my cock. Not just past tense.”

  “And when my fingers are inside of me, they’re yours. Not just present.”

  Closing my eyes, I sigh. “Holy fuck.”

  Suddenly, she shifts up and over my aching dick, even though I came earlier, I’m throbbing with new persistence. She zealously yanks down my shorts and underwear, making me stridently groan as my sore cock sways. As she limply drops my shorts onto the floor, I watch her stunned expression as she takes in a loud breath. “Jared.”

  Catching my breath, I say, “It’s always been hard for you.” Kat eagerly takes ahold of my shaft and I wheeze at the feel of her hand on me, “Fuck.”

  She whispers, “Fuck, what?”

  I heavily huff, and we stare at each other as she runs her fingers over the tip, touching me there for the first time. “Kat. Fuck…baby.”

  As she begins to stroke me, I automatically grasp her hand, stopping her, and growl, “You’re right. Let’s cut the bullshit. Fuck me, Kit Kat. Now.”

  I grab her by the hips, pulling her closer, hovering her over my cock, only to now realize that I’m not wearing a damn condom. “Shit!”

  Between heavy breaths, she anxiously asks, “What?”

  I close my eyes and regretfully tell her, “A condom. They’re some in the other room.” Now, I’m the idiot.

  She says, “I’m on birth control. I get a shot.”

  I roll my head side to side on the pillow. “I never have sex without a condom.” Except for my first time, but that’s been too long ago to count.

  Feeling her slump, I open my eyes and she dejectedly says to my chest, “Oh. I didn’t even think of that.”

  My gaze lowers to her pussy, and unable to resist touching her there, my thumbs slide into her, dipping into her cream, and then rubbing it onto my cock in a show for her.

  Surprised, Kat’s mouth opens and she gives me a questioning look. I whisper, “But you’ve always been the exception.” I don’t even ask about her condom-use history outside her marriage. Quite frankly, I don’t care. Not when we’re about to change our history.

  Her breathing quickens as she considers what I just said. Licking her lips, suddenly uneasy, she says, “Jared, we’re about to cross a line we can’t uncross.”

  I nod. “It’s about time, so we’d better make sure to dot our i’s and cross our t’s, too.” She looks away, but restively fidgets as I push the side of my shaft against her opening, causing me to add some of my own cream to the tip of my dick.

  I bite my lip before sullenly saying, “We don’t have to do this.” Fuck, I can’t turn back now. I’ll jack off as she watches. I don’t care, as long as I can touch her while I do.

  Kat swiftly slides her eyes to mine, and practically snap
s, “I need to.”

  My tongue flicks over my lips. “No regrets then?”

  She shakes her head and says, “Only if we don’t do this.”

  Wanting to hear her tell me again, I whisper, “I want you, Kit Kat.”

  Her brown eyes water again, but she resolutely affirms, “I want you so damn much. God, Jared. Fuck me.”

  “Fuck me…what?”

  “Fuck me, honey. Finally screw your driving partner.” She circles her hips, her pussy licking over the head, teasing me to take action.

  I whisper, “Like this.” I yank down on her hips, thrusting into her, as she slides down onto me, ending years of our baited torment. We both raucously shout, not caring who the fuck hears us. In fact, I do want Dash Calder to hear me fucking her. Claiming Kat Merrick. He can shove the Bro Code up his ass now.

  As she hurriedly pulls her hips up, my hands go to her tits and I say, “Slow. Go slow.” I want this to last as long as possible. Even if I’ll do all I can to make sure this isn’t our last time, I can’t assume that it won’t be. I want to appreciate each move, each breath, each stroke, each shudder, each word, and everything not said.

  Kat pants, “I can’t.” She slams down, and I plunge deeper.

  Squeezing my fingers into her, I gutturally groan, “Jesus Christ, Katriona!”

  “Jared, I… Fuck… I want your dick to make me come.” She glides up and down, whimpering louder.

  Holding onto her tits, her hair bounces against my hands, as she rides me, and I brokenly say, “At long last. On my cock, baby.” I drop my hands to grab onto her ass, urging her onto me, going deeper with every rebound of hers. I’ve never had sex like this before. No, this is a literal, fucking life-affirming experience.

  I confess, “I’ve always wanted you to fuck me, Katriona Elyse. Shit. Don’t stop,” I fervently pant, lifting my hips and Kat off the bed to get as deep into her as possible.

  Holding onto me, she wails, “Jared! I… I… I’m going to come!”

  “Goddamn it, Kat! Don’t fucking stop!” I vehemently yell, and as I utter that, I’m reminded of what I heard at my dad’s in the room next to me, and now I understand why. I’ve never begged someone to have an orgasm with me during sex. I usually came quietly and then that was it, whether they did or not.