The Keys to Jericho

by Ren Alexander

  “I am with her. So are you.”

  “Stop adding me into this equation. It’s not what I’m getting at.”

  “Stop with this questioning then. That’s what I’m getting at.”

  “What are you going to do when you have to leave her? She gets her license, you go, and that’s that?”

  “What’s it any of your business what I do about her when I leave?”

  He’s like a rabbit fending off a jaguar. “As I said before, Kat’s my friend, one that I’ve kept in touch with all these years. I don’t want you to hurt her.”

  “I’m not, and I’m not going to.”

  “You will when you leave.”

  Setting my mug down, I look in the cabinets. I don’t find any tea, but I do find a bottle of honey. “Drop it, Dash. I’ll still see her when I come back on some weekends.”

  “She’s not the type to have a casual fling with.”

  Shutting the door, I snap, “And how would you know that?”

  “Because I know her. She’s a caring person, but she’s not going to take that kind of shit from you.”

  “Dash. Nothing is going on, so just lose the lord-and-protector sequence. We’re friends. Stop making more out of it than there is.”

  “Then stop denying that there isn’t.”

  I slam down the plastic bottle of honey next to the other mug. “Jesus!” I hang my head back, staring up at the ceiling. Hearing the upstairs shower, and not knowing if it’s Kat or the other two, I raise my head to glare at Dash. “When Kat comes downstairs, tell her to drink some coffee and put about six teaspoons of honey into it. That’ll help her hangover.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “Outside. I need some air.” I take my mug and leave the kitchen so I’m not around when Kat walks into it. Dash will be analyzing everything I say to her, and I don’t want to give anything away, because I most likely won’t try so hard not to. I’m already nearing my daily limit of denying my doings with Kat.

  There’s also a fear that she’s going to think I took advantage of her last night and she’ll blast me for it first thing.

  Or even worse, she won’t remember anything we did or said to each other.

  Deciding to do some fishing by myself, I take out my tackle box and sort through some of my lures. Doing this takes longer than I thought it would, and I’m startled when Dash says, “We’re going to the beach.”

  Looking over my shoulder, giving him a dirty look, I ask, “Who’s we?”

  “Oh. Rio Grande, Liberty Bell, and me, if you want to go. Kat’s in the shower. I told her to meet us there if she’s up to it. Liberty feels fine, so maybe Merrick will, too.”

  Returning to my sorting, I nod over my tackle, but bite my lip to hide my smile. At least we’ll be alone for a while.

  Dash walks in front of me and I peer up to see what he wants. Instead, he goes past me to the Jacuzzi, taking off the cover. “I will be in this at some point today. I’ve been wanting to get in, but haven’t yet. That’s shit, don’t you think?”

  I shrug. “Whatever.”

  “It’s had a full change and the filter’s running. It just needs the jets on, and me in it later.” I roll my eyes as he walks past me again. “Okay. We’re heading down there. You can come, too, unless you want to be alone with Kat…”

  I make a dubious face. “For what?” Please don’t see through me. Shit.

  “If I have to tell you, then maybe you’re not doing it right.”

  “Go to Hell.”

  He laughs. “Join us at the beach then, Jericho. Just leave your bad mood here.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “That’s better,” he dryly retorts.

  Dash goes into the house, and I shut my tackle box. Forget about fishing now. Glancing at the Jacuzzi, a possibility comes to mind.

  Putting my tackle back in the shed, I then go into the now-quiet kitchen, and find a pad of paper and an ink pen in the junk drawer. Since we never did exchange numbers, I can’t text her from outside, so I scrawl Everyone’s at the beach. I’m outside if you need me, hoping she takes that as a good sign.

  Using her phone to pin the paper to the counter, I go back outside. After last night, she could just tell me to fuck off.

  Feeling anxious, I spontaneously start the jets to the Jacuzzi, needing something to calm me; though, I have no further game plan than that, or swim trunks with me.

  Taking a deep breath, I take my shirt off, looking to the house before I decide to leave my shorts on, in case my hopes are erroneously in the atmosphere.

  I get in, taking a seat, facing the house, but closing my eyes and leaning my head onto the headrest, trying to actually relax.

  When the sliding door opens, so do my eyes. Kat walks onto the patio and turns to shut the door. Her striped hair is in a bun, and she’s wearing a red bikini top and black shorts. My cock immediately approves.

  Walking over, she smiles and says, “Hey.”

  “How’re you feeling?” I ask, checking her out more.

  “Good. Dash told me through the bathroom door about your coffee and them going to the beach. Thank you for the honey…honey.”

  Smiling, I nod. “It was salt-free, too.” Hanging her head, she laughs and I ask, “Do you remember anything from yesterday, or is it a total blackout?”

  Her laugh becomes a smirk. “I remember. Everything.”

  “That’s good.”

  Kat licks her lip before asking, “So, is there room in there for me?”

  “Just you,” I say, repeating what I promised her last night.

  Grinning, she slips off her shorts, revealing the bottom half of her bikini, and steps into the tub. As soon as she’s fully in the water, I grab her hand and float her to me, our lips meeting before our bodies touch.

  Putting my arms around her, I tow her closer, and we ravenously kiss like we’re just now making up for not kissing all these years. Our tongues war with each other, and although I don’t want her to feel like I’m using her, I position her over my cock, rubbing it between her legs to prove the effect she has on me.

  She makes a humming sound into my mouth, and I use that as encouragement. Letting go of her, but not stopping our kiss, I roughly push up her bikini top, exposing her tits, and take them into my hands, grazing her nipples against my palms. The humming sound returns and I make a deep, throaty sound in response.

  Suddenly leaving my lips, she whispers, “Only you, Jared.”

  Recognizing what she said to me last night, I smile, holding her tits in my hands, and whisper, “Damn, straight.”

  Kat reaches down and tugs my waistband, springing me free. “Take me. I want you.”

  Dropping my right hand, I tear at her bikini and shifting closer, she seizes my dick with her pussy, gliding onto me. Clutching her tit in my hand, I lean my head back, and loudly say, “Fuck.”

  Kat leans in, kissing my neck as I dive my right hand into the water, grabbing her by the hips with both hands, and push and pull her onto me, the bubbly water swirling around us, and swishing with our zealous rhythm.

  “Goddamn. You feel so good, even under water,” I say against her cheek, kissing over to her mouth, not giving her a chance to reply.

  Leaving my mouth, she moves to my ear and says, “I only want you, Jared. I’m yours.”

  Coaxing her to look at me, I say, “I own you, Kit Kat. Nobody else,” I again repeat what I told her.

  Kat trails her wet fingers onto my cheek, and we stare at each other, her brown eyes intently studying me, like she wants me to read her mind, and I instinctively slow my movements, asking, “What?”

  Grinding her hips onto me, she whispers, “You’re mine.”

  I don’t know what to say. She said she owns me, which is the same thing. However, I don’t know if it’s the way she’s looking at me, or if it’s the phrase she used, but I have a sudden urge to do something.

  “Kat.” Taking her face in my hands, I kiss her, but she avidly tongue-fucks me. Gasping, I grip h
er hips, fucking her faster. “Oh, baby. So is this.” I grunt, bracing to let it all go.

  Just then, the door opens. Kat jerks away from me, yanking down her top. My hands involuntarily go into my hair and my head falls back to the seat, as I shoot my load into the water.

  Hearing the footsteps coming closer, I reach down and yank up my shorts, and angrily hiss, “Shit!”

  I glance at Kat, whose face is flushed and eyes are unfocused as she stares at the turbulent water.

  “Jericho, what’re you doing?” When he rounds the table and chairs, he sees Kat with me, and his confusion deepens. “Hey, Merrick. What’re you doing in here? We were waiting for you.”

  Peering up to Dash, she breathlessly says, “Just talking.”

  Dash looks from me to Kat as we both try to be casual, but are failing, tremendously.

  “I texted you, but you didn’t answer.”

  She shrugs. “Sorry. I was out here.”

  “Okay. What’s going on? You two look like you’re hiding something.”

  I glare at him. “Like what? A cake with a fucking file in it? Lay off.”

  “Calm down, Jericho.” He looks at Kat. “You coming down to the beach? We’re all going to walk the boardwalk.”

  Kat doesn’t look at me, but I wish I could tell her to stay with me so I could finish her off.

  Sighing, she reluctantly nods. “Yeah.”

  As she brushes past me to get out, I watch her, and Dash asks, “What about you, Jericho? You walking with us? We’ll grab some lunch along the way.”

  From behind Dash, Kat nods at me with a smile, and then clasping her hands together, begging me. I laugh.

  “What’s so funny?” He glances back at her, but Kat shows him a straight face.

  I roll my eyes. “Didn’t you hear? Libras are annoying as fuck.” I have to stall more or Dash will see what I’ve been…up to.

  He sighs. “I’m a Pisces.”

  I shrug with a mocking smirk. “Whatever.” When Dash shakes his head and looks away, I widen my eyes at Kat and dart my eyes to Dash, hoping she gets it.

  She says, “Dash, can you get us some towels?”

  He huffs, “Why did you get in without towels anyway?”

  Kat laughs with a shrug. “Living in the moment.”

  Still looking confused, he shakes his head. “You’re both weird.” When Dash has his back to me, he must give Kat some kind of look, because she hurriedly swerves her eyes away.

  Dash goes into the house, and I jump out of the water. Kat peers over her shoulder, before running over to me, and as if we read each other’s mind, I angle my head to kiss her as she does the same.

  I frown. “Sorry.”

  She shakes her head. “It’s okay.” Kat gives me another kiss before zipping back to her spot just as Dash returns.

  I busy myself with putting on my shirt and running my hand into my semi-damp hair, while Kat gets back into her shorts and pats at her hair bun. I think we do a better job of appearing more relaxed this time, but Dash again looks suspiciously at us.

  “Something’s off.”

  Shutting down the jets, I tilt my head and retort, “Yeah, your head if you don’t cut this shit out.”

  Narrowing his eyes, he hands us each a beach towel and I wrap mine around my waist, while Kat uses her towel like a blanket over her shoulders.

  As we walk to the door, he abruptly stops and says, “You know, if you two want to be alone, you just have to say so. You don’t have to hide.” Kat gapes at him in horror, and I want to punch Calder.

  I growl, “We don’t, but I might need to hide a body.”

  He laughs, holding up his hand as he opens the door. “Okay. Okay. I’m only joking.”

  We enter the kitchen and Kat grabs her T-shirt from the counter, while I go upstairs to change out of my wet shorts, putting on actual swim trunks, just in case we find another Jacuzzi along the way.

  Dash nearly caught us fucking. I should be spooked by that, but instead, I’m only wearier of hiding it anymore. However, as I walk to the staircase, I hear Kat say to Dash, “We were only talking, so stop with the questions. There’s nothing going on.”

  “Yeah, but—”

  “Just stop it, Dash.”

  There’s a silence, so I go downstairs and Kat turns to grab her phone. I say, “Oh. That reminds me. We need each other’s numbers. You know, for your driving times.”

  “Yeah,” she replies unenthusiastically.

  Crookedly smiling at her as we unlock our phones, I take her phone and give her mine. “There’s no escape, Kit Kat.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of. Such a ball and chain.” She glances up at my frown, and giggles as she puts her number into my phone.

  As I grab my hat off a stool, Dash says, “Okay, then. Let’s go.” He hangs his arm around Kat as she puts her sunglasses on, dragging her out the door, and I seriously want to make it so his picture shows up on a milk carton.

  The short walk is long, and I become more irritated with each step, and each stupid comment he has.

  When we near the sand, Kat peers over her shoulder and asks, “You still with us, Jericho?”

  “Yep,” I tersely mutter.

  Suddenly she stops, halting Dash’s stride. Turning, she holds out her arm to me.

  I hesitantly ask, “What?”

  Kat reaches for me, looping her arm through mine and says, “I want you with me, too.”

  I can’t help the smile, and she squeezes my arm against her, which suddenly seems to make the walk bearable.

  When we reach the boardwalk, we walk until we see Rio and his handler sitting on a bench, looking at a brochure. Most likely for new leashes.

  “Hey, Kat!” Liberty shouts, jumping up and pulling Kat away from me for a hug, since they only saw each other last night, and are staying in the same fucking house. “How’s your head?”

  “Fine.” Kat returns to my side, taking my arm again, which surprises me.

  “I’m actually good, too, so we lucked out.” She looks at our linked arms, looking curious, but fortunately not questioning, and politely says, “Jared.”

  “Liberty.”

  Dash dramatically shivers. “Shit. A freezer is warmer.”

  I glare at him because I’m truly making an effort. Sort of. Enough of one. Shit, as long as she leaves me alone, I can keep my mouth shut. Fuck. Maybe not.

  I drop my frown for a friendly smile. “Don’t worry, Calder. You’ll be all warm and toasty when I set your bed on fire tonight.”

  Kat elbows me. “That’s not very nice.” However, she says that with a laugh, so she’s not pleading a good defense for Dash.

  Rio stands, his brown hair randomly blowing in the breeze. “Hey, Jare. Kat.”

  I pull on the bill of my Colts cap as we both answer, “Hey.”

  Liberty gives Kat another probing look, but still doesn’t screech anything more as she takes Rio’s hand. Hopefully, she lost a bet and has to refrain from acting like a fucking moron for the rest of the trip. Wishful thinking.

  Kat makes no move to let go of me as we all start walking. Dash walks in front of us, rambling about Liberty’s horoscope, in which he seems to have an interested audience this time. Apparently, she was born under a moon in the third house of the rising sun when the Devil went down to Georgia in August, which makes her a raving Lunatic. Definitely her astrological sign.

  Bored with their goddamned chatter, and since I don’t have the nail gun to end it all, with us heading up the rear, I bump Kat’s arm. That makes her retaliate in kind, so I bump harder, and she sways with a laugh. When she looks up, and before she has a chance to react, I glance ahead of us before bending to kiss her.

  I raise my head just as Dash turns his, asking, “You two still back there?”

  I drone, “Yep.”

  He grins at Kat. “You can always walk with me if you want. My arm is cozier.” I know he’s taunting me. The fucker will pay for that.

  She shakes her head. “I like it ba
ck here. I don’t have to endure a horoscope recap.”

  He gawks at her in surprise as I loudly laugh, impressed that she shot him down on all levels. “What the…? I thought you liked the reports!”

  She cringes. “Not really, so just—”

  “Shove them up your astro chart, Calder.”

  He pouts as he yanks out an orange sucker from his pocket. “Jericho is rubbing off on you, Merrick.”

  I smirk. “Maybe she wants to rub me off.”

  Kat laughs, and this time, it’s Dash who’s shocked, gaping at us. Even Rio laughs, but unfortunately, so does his bitch.

  She glances back at me and says, “You’re kind of funny, Jared.”

  When she turns around, I scowl at the back of her head. As a rule, she should never talk to me.

  Something catches her eye, and she stops, which holds up all of us. She flits to shirts on a rack, showing some to a boringly patient Rio, while Dash checks his phone.

  Lifting her sunglasses, Kat lets go of my arm to go in the store, and I follow. Inside, we walk down the seashell aisle, where she stops at the starfish, picking up one. She says, “Look. It’s like the one you found. Even the tip is missing.”

  I reach up to touch it, but stroke her knuckles with my thumb instead. “I still have that starfish. It’s in my room.”

  Her brown eyes shine from the overhead lights as she looks up at me. “You do?” I nod and she smiles before returning to the shell display.

  Glancing behind us, not seeing our warped posse, I move up against Kat, and from behind, I lingeringly kiss her cheek, making her contentedly hum. Liking the sound, I kiss her more. When I kiss down to her jaw, she looks toward the door, and I automatically step away from her.

  Kat says, “I swear I just saw—”

  Rounding the corner, Liberty smiles, and in her grating voice asks, “What are you looking at in here?”

  Dash follows, saying, “Jericho, come look at these lures.”

  I sigh as Kat and I are separated by annoying forces. Dash leads me to where Rio is searching through tackle, but I’m distracted, watching Kat from three rows over, through display openings. She doesn’t see me, but she appears as distracted as I do, looking around. Finally catching my eye, she brilliantly smiles at me, as I vaguely notice Liberty’s mouth yakking next to her.