The Keys to Jericho

by Ren Alexander

Merry Christmas to me.

  New Year’s arrives, and this time, Rio borrows Kat to help him pick out a ring for Liberty, momentarily leaving me with the fear she might try to see his goods. Jesus.

  Duquesne was still astonished how Liberty and I conspired, and actually kept my engagement plans a secret from him. I think he was more scared that she had the ability to keep her mouth shut for as long as she did. I remain dumbfounded, too. In a way, I wish the bitch had proved she wasn’t trustworthy. Now, I have to acknowledge that she was. Damn it.

  Sure enough, right after midnight, Kat’s phone rings, and they both squeal on speakerphone for half an hour, with Liberty asking Kat to be a bridesmaid. Christ. Not this shit again.

  In contrast, Rio and I did no squealing whatsoever, and our call only lasted 10 minutes, even with our agreeing to meet for lunch.

  Taking my seat in the booth at our usual sports bar, the hostess gives us menus, and I order a roast beef sandwich and an iced tea, while Rio, actually being on time, orders a club sandwich with his iced tea.

  He folds his hands and takes on a serious expression, which is a usual Duquesne trait, and older than me by over a year, he tends to act more his age. He says, “I’m not going to say a bunch of flowery shit. I’ve said enough of that and besides, you’ll only roll your eyes at me.”

  I smirk. “I usually do roll my eyes at you. It can’t be helped, Duquesne. You beg for it.”

  Suddenly appearing anxious, which isn’t a Duquesne trait, he says, “You’re my best friend, Jare. Be my best man.”

  Sucking in a breath, I say, “Now you make me feel like a total douche, picking my dad.”

  Grinning, he shakes his head. “No way, Jare. I love that you asked him. He’s the perfect choice and it means a lot to him. Very admirable of you. I wouldn’t want you to have it any other way.”

  I raise an eyebrow and look to the table. “Uh, thanks.”

  “So, will you?”

  Looking up at him, I shrug. “I’ll have to check my calendar.”

  When Rio frowns, instantly doubting me, I laugh. “Fuck, yeah, I will!”

  Rio laughs in relief, I think. He seriously doubted that I would do it? “I’m still shocked about you proposing to Kat. I really had no idea what you were going to do about her. I honestly didn’t see a good prognosis.”

  I frown. “Thanks, Diet Dr. Pussy.”

  He laughs again. “I’m glad you proved me wrong, Jare.”

  I anxiously fluff at my hair and say, “So am I. I uh… I nearly lost her again.”

  He nods. “I know, but you didn’t.” I inhale and he asks, “Can you believe we’ll both be getting married this year?”

  I shake my head, brushing my hand over my mouth. “No. Shit. It’s coming faster than I thought it would.”

  Becoming serious again, he asks, “Are you changing your mind?”

  “Hell, no. Just…” I sigh, leaning back against the seat. I look around the bar, searching for the right words, but I can’t find them, and if I do, I’m not sure I want to acknowledge them.

  Rio asks, “Nervous? Scared?” Fuck me.

  Shrugging, I mutter, “I don’t want to screw this up. I’ve already done that enough times with her.”

  “You’ll be a great husband. I see how you are with Kat. She makes you happy. I haven’t seen you smile so much in all the years I’ve known you.”

  I nod. “I know I act like a prick most of the time, but I really do hope you’re happy, too.”

  Rio raises his eyebrows, surprised I said that. “I am.”

  “Good. Now we just have to find Calder a woman.”

  Laughing, Rio sits back, his blue eyes gleaming, as he crossing his arms. “You know who he wants.”

  The waitress brings us our drinks and I scowl into my iced tea. “I’d rather send him pictures of me wearing my Christmas pajamas.”

  “I don’t even want to know.”

  I roll my eyes at Rio. “Trust me, you don’t, but I can’t really complain about them too much. Not after…wow.”

  Rio leans forward, and in a hushed voice, says, “I had to wear boxers that look like Santa’s suit, and a fucking Santa hat to go with them. Still…wow.”

  I pound my fist on the table, making our drinks jump. “Goddamn it. Mrs. Beckett and Mrs. Duquesne need to stop talking to each other, starting right this second.”

  He sighs, but laughs. “Are you ready for this, Beckett?”

  I shake my head, yet say, “Bring it on. But I’m going to need a drinking buddy from time to time.”

  Rio nods with a smirk. “You have me, Jare. Always will.”

  What in the hell would I do without River Duquesne?

  Christ. I’d be stuck banging my head against the wall, listening to Dashiell Calder.

  “Same here, Duquesne. You need me. Someone has to start the fires.”

  He smiles. “And you need me. Someone has to douse the flames. It’s a friendship made in Heaven.”

  I raise an eyebrow with a crooked grin. “Or Hell.”

  Laughing, Rio shakes his head, but then nods with me. “Goddamn it, Jared Beckett. Definitely Hell.”

  “Baby, I’ve missed you!” Kat says, hugging me as I walk through the front door of her apartment. I guess I’ll still call it her apartment, even if I have a key to it, keep clothes in her drawers, and spend most of my weekends with her here.

  Since I had worked late Friday, Kat made me stay in Philly so that I wasn’t driving late. We had a big argument on the phone about it, but I eventually relented, wasting too much time arguing, which made me too tired to drive. I’m assuming that was part of her fucking plan to win the argument.

  As soon as I toss my keys onto the counter, she hands me a red bag with white tissue paper inside it. Irritably snatching the bag from her hooked finger, Kat smiles and clasps her hands together, waiting for me to say something.

  I petulantly ask, “Why’d you do this?”

  “It’s our first Valentine’s Day, Jericho,” Kat says, rolling her eyes.

  “I told you not to get me anything.”

  “Did you get me something?”

  I arch an eyebrow at her. “Yeah, but I took it back.”

  “That’s okay. I’m not hurt. All I want is your love.” Fuck. She always calls my every bluff.

  Still scowling at her, but unable to hold it as she grins, I roll my eyes and reach into the bag to pull out a new Colts hat.

  I smile at it and then at her. “Thanks, Kit Kat. I needed a new one.”

  Nodding, she glances up at the old one I’m wearing, before saying, “There’s more at the bottom of the bag.”

  Digging through the paper, I pull out a new, leather wallet, and she says, “Your hat and wallet are both so faded.”

  “What can I say? When I love something, I’m completely faithful to it.”

  Kat smiles, her brown eyes glowing. “I know you are.” When I go to set the bag on the kitchen table, she says, “Wait! There’s one more thing in there.”

  Frowning at her because she spent too much, I reach in, pulling out a metal key keychain, similar to the one I gave Kat. When I glance up at her, she says, “So you have my key, too.”

  I smile. “I love it. Thank you.” I lean down to give her a kiss, but pull away before she makes me forget about her gift.

  Setting down the bag, I go to the hall closet, rummaging behind the umbrellas standing in the corner, to pull out the red bag that I hid there. I guess I did a good job of hiding it right under her nose.

  Returning to the kitchen with the bag, Kat sees it and her eyes light up. “What’s this?”

  “Nothing at all. Just a bag.”

  She rolls her eyes, and I hand the bag to her. She burrows through the pink paper and pulls out a small, black velvet box. Kat looks at me questioningly before opening it.

  “Jared!” She smiles as she picks up the gold starfish necklace.

  Suddenly feeling nervous about the gift being stupid, I rub the back of my neck and explain, “I c
ouldn’t find one with a broken arm.”

  Her smile blinds me. “I love it, Jared. It still symbolizes our renewal. Our longevity. We’ve been together in our hearts all these years.”

  I nod. “I know. I’ve only been with you.”

  Kat puts her arms around my neck and says, “And you’re all mine, Jared Beckett.”

  “All yours, Kit Kat.”

  “Will you put it on me?”

  “On you. In you…”

  She laughs, pushing my arm. “I meant the necklace.”

  I laugh. “Yeah. As long as I can take everything else off you.”

  Kat continues to giggle as I take the box from her, removing the necklace. Tossing the box onto the table, I grab the ends of the necklace, joining them together over the back of her neck. As I trail my fingers over her collarbone, she harshly inhales. Leaning down, I kiss her neck as my hands go to her tits, pushing her against me, making her nipples and my cock harden together.

  Taking in her scent as my nose and mouth drag over her skin, I whisper, “God. I missed you, baby.”

  Her chest heaves beneath my hands and she says, “I missed you, too, Sonic.”

  My right hand slides down to the crotch of her sweatpants, palming her over them. “I want to make love to you, Kit Kat.”

  Kat whimpers, “Do you?”

  “Phone sex isn’t the same. Not even close. I need to see how much you want me. I need to feel you making love to me.”

  “I do, too. Right now.” Kat starts walking us to the bedroom. I kiss her neck, and clutch her pussy through her pants, while my impatient hard-on pushes against her as we walk.

  Once in her room, she spins around, pushes off my hat, and tugs my head down to her lips, and we kiss as we work on each other’s sweatpants. We then move to our shirts and once they’re gone, Kat gets into her unmade bed. Climbing over her, I kiss down to her bra strap, and she lifts my face, whispering, “I love kissing these lips.” She pulls on my head to reclaim my mouth, and for the moment, I forget about her bra as we make out, getting us both more worked up.

  However, my dick can’t ignore her pussy. My hips swivel against hers, almost like we’re magnetic and we have to be together according to the laws of physics.

  I whisper, “Tell me you want me.”

  “I fucking want you. Make love to me, Jared.”

  “I want you so fucking much, too. I’m aching for your touch, Kit Kat.”

  She opens her legs more for me, and while I stroke her hip, we kiss as I start to push into her, teasing her clit to the sound of the doorbell.

  I groan over her lips. “Don’t fucking answer that.”

  “She has a key. I don’t want her seeing us like this.”

  Shoving halfway into her, Kat moans and I say, “She’ll go away.”

  Kat lifts her hips, taking more of me inside, yet argues, “But if she doesn’t? She knows we’re home. Our cars are here.”

  I grunt from the feel of her and from being frustrated with our distraction. “Jesus Christ. Can’t she take a hint? If not, she can wait.”

  “I’m not having a quick fuck with you while she stands outside.”

  I strive to keep my hard-on as the doorbell rings again, but I know she’s not with me and it’s a lost cause. Yet, I give her another thrust as a parting gift. “I don’t care where she stands, but the floral arrangements or goddamned place cards can wait.”

  Knocking can be heard now, and Kat pushes me away and scurries from beneath me to put on her clothes. Sitting on my knees, I sigh and she says, “You probably should get dressed.”

  “Why? I feel your pussy on me. I’ll only think about it and get hard in front of her. Not happening. Tell her to go home. We’re having sex.” I throw my hands out. “We were,” I sulk.

  Licking her lip, she sullenly nods as her gaze goes from my impatient scowl, falling to my annoyed cock.

  Kat growls in exasperation as she leaves the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Almost instantly, voices are heard in the living room. Guessing that Kat is going to have a task of getting rid of her excited mother, I also growl in irritation as I throw on my sweatpants, but leave my shirt on the floor. Making sure my hard-on is gone, which is unfortunate, I open the door and stroll out to the living room to see Kat with her arms wrapped around herself and her back to me, while Brenda points to a paper.

  “I know Katydid, but this one is cheaper, yet you get more flowers.”

  “Mom, can we not do this today?”

  “You only have a little over four months left. These arrangements need to be made as far in advance as possible.”

  “I know, but Jared’s here.”

  She scoffs, “It’s his wedding, too.”

  “He really doesn’t care about flowers.”

  I concur, “I really don’t.”

  Looking up, Brenda sees me as I prop my arm onto the doorway, and her eyes nearly bulge out of her sockets, since I’m half-naked. Kat turns, doing a double take, seeing me without my shirt. Brenda glances at Kat, now noticing her disheveled hair and clothes, along with Kat biting her lip in frustration. Brenda asks, “Um… I’m interrupting, aren’t I?”

  Kat tosses her hair over her shoulder and says, “Well…”

  “Yeah,” I say, smirking at the look on Brenda’s face, and hoping she finally gets the hell out of here before I do fuck her daughter while she waits.

  Brenda says, “I didn’t realize you’d be…busy.”

  “Jared just got here, Mom, and it’s our first Valentine’s Day as a couple.”

  I say, “So, very busy.”

  Brenda’s face actually turns red. “Oh, shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to barge in while you were having sex.”

  “Mom!”

  “What? Was that not what you were doing?”

  I reply, “We did have lift-off.”

  “Jared!”

  Shaking her head, Brenda throws her stack of magazines and papers into her canvas bag. “Good God. I always have the worst timing.”

  Kat says, “Maybe call next time to avoid a wasted trip.”

  “I’m just used to coming over. Really. I apologize. Get back to your lovemaking. Just call me when you’re spent.”

  I grin. “That may be a while.”

  Kat’s hands go to her face, now the red-faced one in the room, and she muffles, “Holy hell.”

  Trying not to laugh, I ask, “What?

  Kat mouths, “Jared Beckett!”

  Brenda mutters, “Lucky girl.”

  Kat clears her throat and says, “We’ll talk flowers later.”

  I shrug. “Shell can do the flowers.”

  Kat shrieks, “Yes! Thank you! I didn’t even think of that! What the hell is wrong with me?”

  Opening the door, Brenda asks, “Shell?”

  I say, “Dash’s mother. She owns a floral shop.”

  Brenda nods. “Will she give you a good deal?”

  Kat says, “Honestly, I don’t care. We can’t not use her for the flowers.”

  I smirk. “Since it’s my wedding, she’ll give us a discount. She likes me. No worries.”

  Brenda shakes her head at me, while pursing her smiling lips, and biting back a comment, I’m sure. “Fine. Fine. Call me later, Katydid.” Brenda waves as she hurriedly leaves. When the door closes, I say, “That woman needs a different hobby.”

  Kat laughs as she locks the door and walks over to me. “She could always play with your dad.”

  I instantly scowl. “Fuck, no. That’s gross. I don’t want to be your brother.”

  She nods. “Right. We’d have to break up.”

  “No, we’d just move someplace where they allow that sort of thing.”

  “Oh, my God!” she squeals.

  “It’s not like we’re blood related, and I had you first. They can look elsewhere for playdates.”

  Putting her arms around my waist, she says, “You did have me first. Do you still want me?”

  I grab her hand from my waist and shove it down my
pants. Her hand clamps onto the base of my rising cock. “Does this answer your question?”

  She strokes me and says, “I want to make love to my fiancé.”

  “Yeah? Well, you have the key to my ignition. Rev me up and ride me hard, Kitty Kat.”

  Still holding onto my dick, she giggles as she leads me back to her room. “You handle nice.”

  I scoff as she escorts me by my cock. “You do know that I’ve never allowed anyone but you to lead me around by my dick, physically or otherwise, right?”

  “I have a special permit to do this?”

  When we reach her bed, I turn her around to face me. “You have the only permit to do that. Just don’t break it off, for fuck’s sake.”

  “Why would I do that? I love shifting your gears and feeling the hot rush you give me.”

  “What are we waiting for then? Take me for a drive.”

  Lifting off her shirt as she shoves down her pants, Kat gets back into bed while I take off my sweats.

  Impatient, I use my knees to spread her legs. Yanking me down, she kisses me and says, “I couldn’t wait for her to leave. I wanted to jump you when you walked into the living room without your shirt.”

  “Every time I looked at you, I kept thinking of you naked and the feel of you fucking me, only wearing your ring and necklace, and I started to get hard again. Thank Christ she left when she did.”

  “Fuck. I love you, Jared.”

  “I fucking love you more, Kit Kat.” Hovering over her lips, I whisper, “Kiss me, damn it.”

  When she pulls me back to her lips, I hold her wrists down and roughly thrust into her repeatedly, making sure she keeps fucking me, instead of answering the goddamned door again.

  “I can’t believe everything is coming together,” Kat muses, stroking her fingers through my chest hair as we lie in bed Sunday morning, the night after celebrating my new job in Richmond, and my birthday.

  I shrug. “I told you everything would work out. You didn’t believe me.”

  “I still feel bad that you’re taking a demotion.”

  I roll my eyes at the ceiling. “Stop saying that. I negotiated a good deal. They offer a lot of incentives and earning potential, so just forget about feeling bad. I want to be with you. This weekend shit is for the birds. I don’t see how Hadley and Finn have done it for so long, and they don’t live that far from each other.”