by Selena Kitt
Phone calls! Two weeks of phone calls, and then he’d be home.
“Speaking of phone calls…” She swallowed hard, thinking, why are you doing this? But she had to know. Part of her had to know.
“Let me guess, your mother called?”
She frowned. “Well yeah, like every week, but that isn’t what I was going to say.”
“Are you ready yet?”
She blinked at the receiver. “I…I don’t know.” She’d been very good at avoiding them. The erase button on the machine got a lot of use. She never really even listened to the messages anymore, to what her mother was actually saying.
“So who else called that was so important?” he asked, changing the subject. She could hear him smiling, pictured it, and it filled her with a bright soft of job. “Was it the IRS?”
“No,” she snorted. Then it was quiet again, and she hesitated. Did she really want to know? Did she? “I was wondering…who’s Alicia?”
The silence stretched, and then he laughed. The sound made her feel both elated and ashamed for asking all at once. “Let me guess—you think she’s some ex-girlfriend of mine?”
“Well…” Lindsey frowned, indignant. “It’s not an illogical conclusion.”
“She’s my sister.”
Her relief was worth the embarrassment. “I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“Yep.” He chuckled. “Just the one. Were you jealous?” “Shut up,” she said, sticking her tongue out at the phone. “You’d be jealous, too.”
“I am, baby.” He sighed. “But you’re mine now, and that’s all that matters.”
“I know.” She smiled happily, leaning back on the sofa and letting Argyle curl up beside her. That one night with Ralph had proved it to her, if nothing else had. She didn’t want anyone else but Zach, not anymore. But she wouldn’t tell him about what had happened, she decided. She’d already sworn Nate to secrecy—he hadn’t been happy about it, but they’d become close enough as friends to reluctantly agree that it was her choice—and she didn’t want to hurt Zach anymore. He didn’t need to know about brief trip back in time, her flirting with disaster one last time.
What mattered was that she was sure now. She wouldn’t ever be the girl she’d been before.
“So, now that we have that drama cleared up, are you going to call your mother?”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t you ever give up?”
“I wouldn’t have you if I did.”
She smiled, knowing already that it was going to be the longest and shortest five minutes of her life, her phone call with him, and it was. When she hung up, she sat with the cordless in her hand for a long time, just staring at it and thinking while Argyle slept next to her on the couch.
Finally, she began to dial the number of the place she used to call home.
Epilogue
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he whispered in her ear. She’d held onto him so long standing there with his duffle at their feet that already her arms ached but she didn’t want to let him go. Passengers jostled around them, calling to one another, many in a hurry to catch another flight, but they were both oblivious.
“Oh my god.”
She looked around in panic as Zach got down on one knee in the middle of the airport, taking a small, black velvet covered box out of his pocket.
He grinned. “You said that last time.”
“What are you doing?” she hissed, trying to pull him up as passengers continued to file around them.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” He opened the box, his eyes on hers, looking for a reaction. “It’s called a proposal.”
“Zach…” Her eyes filled with tears and she wiped at them as they fell.
“Will you marry me?” The hand that held the box shook. “For real this time?”
“It was always real,” she whispered, fingering the lid to the box, not quite ready to touch the actual ring. “I was afraid to believe it, but it always was.”
He smiled, holding the box up higher, an offering. “Will you?”
The ring was beautiful, huge and, as she squealed and said, “Yes!” a perfect fit as he slid it on. He stood to take her in his arms, their kiss sealing the deal, and she gasped when they parted, whispering in his ear, “I have a surprise for you, too.”
“Oh?”
She was wearing a jacket, although it wasn’t that cool outside, even for September, and she unzipped it slowly, opening it to reveal her secret. Puzzled, he stared for a moment, and then his eyes widened, coming up to meet hers.
“I thought…?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugged, just as bewildered, but never more happy.
And then he was on his knees again, his arms wrapped around her waist, kissing the rounded bump of her stomach over and over where their child was growing.
“You win,” he grinned, standing and pulling her into his arms, and swinging her around. She squealed, laughing. “You had the bigger surprise.”
“Stop!” she gasped, still giggling. “You’re making me dizzy!”
“It’s okay.” But he did, putting her down and kissing her, his mouth full of longing and tenderness and promise. His words were whispered, just for her, “I’ll always catch you, remember?”
How could I forget? She smiled and pressed her ear to his heart, relishing the strong, steady beat there, the solid feel of him against her. She didn’t speak her response out loud, not there in the middle of the airport, but she knew he felt it.
And more importantly, she knew he meant what he said. He was willing to wait, willing to be patient while she learned to walk instead of crawl. Maybe, she thought with a smile as he kissed her again, feeling herself floating with him somewhere else away from everyone and everything…maybe, even, to fly.
And it didn’t matter if she fell.
He really would be there to catch her.
The End
ABOUT SELENA KITT
Like any feline, Selena Kitt loves the things that make her purr—and wants nothing more than to make others purr right along with her! Pleasure is her middle name, whether it’s a short cat nap stretched out in the sun or a long kitty bath. She makes it a priority to explore all the delightful distractions she can find, and follow her vivid and often racy imagination wherever it wants to lead her.
Her writing embodies everything from the spicy to the scandalous, but watch out—this kitty also has sharp claws and her stories often include intriguing edges and twists that take readers to new, thought-provoking depths.
When she’s not pawing away at her keyboard, Selena runs an innovative publishing company (www.excessica.com) and in her spare time, she worships her devoted husband, corrals four kids and a dozen chickens, all while growing an organic garden. She also loves bellydancing and photography.
Her e-publishing credits include: Rosie’s Promise published by Samhain and Torrid Teasers #49 published by Whiskey Creek Press featuring two short stories, French Lessons and I’ll Be Your Superman in 2008. Her stories and poems are in the following anthologies: Coming Together: For The Cure, Coming Together: Under Fire and Coming Together Volume 1 and Volume 3. Two stories, Sacred Spots and Happy Accident, have been published by Phaze Publishing, and her novels Christmas Stalking, Blind Date, The Surrender of Persephone and The Song of Orpheus are coming soon. She has also been published online in The Shadow Sacrament: a journal of sex and spirituality, The Erotic Woman, and her story, Connections, was one of the runners-up for the 2006 Rauxa Prize, given annually to an erotic short story of “exceptional literary quality,” out of over 1,000 nominees, where awards are judged by a select jury and all entries are read “blind” (without author’s name available.) She can be reached on her website at www.selenakitt.com.
If you enjoyed QUICKIES, you might also enjoy:
SHIVERS
By Selena Kitt
Eight darkly erotic and horrifically delicious stories guaranteed to give you shivers, in more ways than one! Stories include: The Velvet Choke
r, Pumpkin Eater, The Ride, Mercy, Advent Calendar, Silent Night, The Laundry Chute and The Gingerbread Man.
Warning: This title contains graphic language, sex and erotic horror.
Excerpt From “Advent Calendar” in SHIVERS:
“So, seriously, what’s the joke?” I asked.
She was hanging her head off the end of my bed, watching the tail end of A Charlie Brown Christmas Special upside down.
“Don’t you love the way they talk? Wah, wahhh wahhhhh. Isn’t that totally how you used to hear grown-ups?” She lolled her head off the corner and put her bare feet up on the wall, crossing them at the ankles.
“I still hear grown-ups that way,” I snorted, pulling my t-shirt on. “Come on, Betz, give.”
“Oh, this wasn’t enough for you?” She teased me, opening her thighs and pointing between them. Her pussy lips were still a little swollen and they glistened. I sat next to her, my hand inevitably drawn to the wetness, rubbing the moist and slightly sticky skin with my thumb. God, she’s intoxicating.
“Everything isn’t about sex, you know?” I tried to sound serious, although my fingers betrayed me and slid through her slit as my cock began to throb against my thigh.
She laughed--god, I loved her laugh--it tinkled, like ice crystals forming in midair. Rolling off the bed, she grabbed for the remote and started to flip channels. “Do you have CNN? I have to see if they’re broadcasting any other signs of the apocalypse.”
“Ha.” I said. “Ha.” She grinned up at me, sprawled naked on my floor, her hair like dark chocolate streams covering the generous swell of her breasts. “Well, if you’re not gonna tell me what it’s all about, I’m not opening any more of those stupid doors.” I grabbed a new pair of briefs out of my top drawer, shoving the advent calendar aside to do it. It toppled toward the wall and balanced there, its first five black doors hanging askew showing five decidedly blank white spaces.
Every morning I felt like a fool, opening a new door in the hopes that this time, something would appear. I had noticed a different odor each day--first the oranges and cloves, then cinnamon, then something I couldn’t identify at all, then something that smelled faintly like pumpkin pie. I joked with her on the phone that she had invented the world’s first “Scratch ‘N Sniff” advent calendar. She just laughed. There was a different smell today, like those red and white pinwheel peppermint candies my grandmother used to keep in her pocket to keep us quiet in church, but it didn’t linger long. I was getting really tired of whatever game Betsy was playing.
“Nice ass,” she commented softly. I didn’t reply, tugging my jeans on. God, she pissed me off sometimes.
“Is that all I am to you?” I tossed her jeans off my bed and into her lap. Her eyes were bright, dancing, as she looked up at me, incredulous. I stopped, my jaw as slack as hers. “What the fuck?” I said softly, out loud, rubbing my chin thoughtfully. What the hell am I saying? What the hell do I care?
“I’m gonna go home.” She started to get dressed. I couldn’t see her face as she bent to slide her panties on. I felt bad all of a sudden and then I was pissed that I felt bad. This wasn’t good at all. I watched her slide her jeans on, her back to me, her panties caught slightly in the crack of her ass. My cock jerked reactively, just seeing her bent over and sliding denim up her shapely thighs. I sat on my bed, uncertain.
“You don’t have to keep opening them if you don’t want to.” She kissed my cheek and smiled softly before opening my bedroom door. She must have been chewing gum because she smelled like peppermint.
“There’s no point!” I called after her. “It’s not funny!” I heard her laugh and gritted my teeth. This wasn’t gonna fly. I was done. I don’t care how much she gets my dick hard, no girl is worth this kind of hassle and game-playing.
BUY THIS AND MORE TITLES AT
www.eXcessica.com
eXcessica’s BLOG
www.excessica.com/blog
eXcessica’s YAHOO GROUP
groups.yahoo.com/group/eXcessica/
Check out both for updates about eXcessica books, as well as chances to win free E-Books!
And look for these other titles from Selena Kitt:
NAUGHTY BITS
By Selena Kitt
David has been brightening up his gray Surrey, England days with the porn collection hidden in his parents’ shed, but when he find that his older sister, Dawn has discovered his magazine collection, things really begin to heat up. Their parents insist that their just-graduated son look for a job, but their daughter has the week off and is determined to work on her tan. Distracted David finds himself increasingly tempted by his seductive older sister, who makes it very clear what she wants. Her teasing ways slowly break down the taboo barrier between brother and sister until they both give in to their lust… but what are they going to do about the feelings that have developed between them in the meantime…?
Warning: This title contains incest and anal sex.
BABYSITTING THE BAUMGARTNERS
By Selena Kitt
Ronnie—or as Mrs. Baumgartner insists on calling her, Veronica—has been babysitting for the Baumgartners since she was fifteen years old and has practically become another member of the family. Now a college freshman, Ronnie jumps at the chance to work on her tan in the Florida Keys with “Doc” and “Mrs. B” under the pretense of babysitting the kids. Ronnie isn’t the only one with ulterior motives, though, and she discovers that the Baumgartners have wayward plans for their young babysitter. This wicked hot sun and sand coming of age story will seduce you as quickly as the Baumgartners seduce innocent Ronnie and leave everyone yearning for more!
Warning: This title contains MFF threesome, lesbian, and anal sex.
BLUEBEARD’S WIFE
By Selena Kitt
Tara’s husband has never shared a fantasy with her, or even masturbated—that she knows of. However, this curious wife discovers a phone bill full of phone calls to sex lines and realizes her husband has been living a double life! Instead of getting mad, Tara’s curiosity leads her to begin listening in on John’s steamy conversations in hopes of finding out what he really wants in the bedroom. After several failed attempts at bringing fantasy to reality, however, a frustrated Tara turns to her much more adventurous best friend, Kelly, for help. A quick psychology 101 diagnosis from Dr. Kelly marks John as having a classic “madonna/whore” complex, and she quickly sets about making plans to rectify this situation. Tara goes along for the ride, hoping that Kelly may have the answer to bridging the seemingly ever-growing gap in her marriage…
Warning: This title contains a MFF threesome, a daddy/daughter role play between consenting adults, strong language, minor drug use and F/F sex.
UNDER MR. NOLAN’S BED
By Selena Kitt
Leah and Erica have been best friends and have gone to the same Catholic school since just about forever. Leah spends so much time with the Nolan’s—just Erica and her handsome father, now, since Erica’s mother died—that she’s practically part of the family. When the girls find something naughty under Mr. Nolan’s bed, their strict, repressive upbringing makes it all the more exciting as they begin their sexual experimentation. Leah’s exploration presses deeper, and eventually she finds herself torn between her best friend and her best friend’s father—but even she couldn’t have predicted the shocking and bittersweet outcome of their affair.
Warning: This title contains a threesome, lesbian sex and incest.
THE SYBIAN CLUB
By Selena Kitt
Tasha convinces her husband, Max, to buy her a the ultimate female pleasure machine – a Sybian – but he only agrees if she can come up with a business plan to pay for it. Determined to keep her promise, she creates The Sybian Club and begins bringing women to the basement room set up just for her new toy. It becomes so popular, she has to enlist the help of new friend, Ashley, to keep up with the demand, and the women enjoy an exciting ride as the business thrives. But Tasha has developed feelings for Ashley, and doesn�
�t know how to tell her husband that she wants to add more to their sex life than just a new toy…
Warning: This title contains a threesome, lesbian and anal sex.
STARVING ARTIST
By Selena Kitt
Ellie is living the life of a true starving artist in a small efficiency apartment in dangerous downtown Detroit, but more dangerous than her surroundings are the men to whom she pays rent. Denied help by her prosecutor father, who believes his daughter is wasting her life in art school, Ellie finds herself in a precarious position and surrenders helplessly to her predicament. However, a strange twist of fate gives Ellie a chance at revenge. Will she take it?
Warning: This title contains graphic language, nonconsensual and anal sex.
ON CHERRY HILL
By Selena Kitt
Midwife Anne gets pulled over in the middle of the night on Cherry Hill Road. She’s on her way to a birth, but her urgency doesn’t sway the unsympathetic officer. When the cop discovers something suspicious on Anne’s driving record and insists she get out of the car, she knows she’s in real trouble. When he cuffs her and bends her over the hood, things go beyond trouble...
But the surprising outcome of this tale gives both Anne and the reader a jolt they never could have anticipated...
Warning: This title contains graphic language and nonconsensual sex.
ESCAPING FATE
By Selena Kitt
Sam has an unusual interest in humans—well, considering she’s a fairy of fate whose profession it is to determine their futures, it’s no wonder! But it isn’t just Karma she’s curious about… Sam has what her fairy-pal Alex thinks is an inordinate and rather wanton interest in certain biological aspects of human behavior—most notably, s-e-x.