by J Haney
“Tonight we have baked chicken cutlet with thick-cut beans and potatoes. It’s hearty and healthy. I’ve also made some garlicky rosemary drop biscuits.”
“When you going to learn to cook like this?” Finn asks around a mouth full of food.
“Manners.” I snap.
“I’m getting tired of microwaved foods or anything that comes from the Walmart deli.”
“I’m trying okay? I’m doing the best I can. I’ve been working crazy hours to make sure we have enough money to live on and the things you need. Now it’s not good enough? Gee thanks.”
“Are you like PMSing or something?”
I growl as I stand. “F-Nolan, that’s it I’ve had it with your mouth. Someone says something you don’t like, and you turn into a little brat. I’m done.” I say, heading for his bedroom. I come back out a few moments later with his PlayStation controller and remote for his tv. “You want to run your mouth? Fine! You can do it picking up some slack. Like picking up the clothes all over your room because I didn’t get to laundry this weekend. Now are you done or would you like to start cleaning so I can eat something without wanting to dump it over your head?”
“I-God, who pissed you off?”
That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. I’m up and smacking his mouth before I know I’ve done it. “You will NOT speak to me like that again!” I go to smack him again when I’m lifted and carried away. Rónán doesn’t set me back to my feet till he’s got me in my room with my door shut. This would be one of those times I really wish I had a punching bag.
He grabs me, pulling me into a hug, “Hit me. If you really need to hit let it be me.”
I jerk away from him, but I go nowhere. “Let go of me.”
“Make me.”
“RÓNÁN! Step back now.” I try pushing against him. “I’ll be fine. Just let me go and let me be!”
“Yer fine, a’ight. Fucked up, insecure, neurotic, and emotional. Come on, show me how tough ya are. Smackin’ little boys around.” He gives my shoulder a push.
“Don’t push me!” I snap cracking my neck. “He never would have spoken like that before. Always someone taking up for the little prince.”
“Tell me. What were ya gonna do? Beat him? For what? Being right as you? Sure ya been workin’ crazy, but he’s got a right to say he’d like to eat somethin’ that don't come from a box. You both be right on yer complaints but ya gettin’ yer knickers twisted ain’t doin’ no one a lick of good. A smack is one thing, but ya nearly decked him! So ya wanna hit? I say again ya hit me.” He invades my space again.
I shove him, but he doesn’t budge. I turn grabbing the bed. I need something to stabilize me, and Rónán just makes my body do all these crazy things. My knuckles are white with how hard I’m gripping the edge of the bed. I’m heaving, but I’m not crying.
“You need to let it out, wee bird, or you're no good to anybody.” I feel one hand as it snakes around my middle the other unclasping my hand as he’s pulling me upright.
“Stop, please. I-I need. I don’t fucking know what I need. All I know is you have to let me go.”
“And if I say no?” He pulls me into him. “If I say that’s the last thing I want to do?”
“Because if you don’t, there’s no going back. So either let me go or by God make me forget.”
His hand's fist the front of my shirt, before one travels up to my face as I’m leaned impossibly back, my head turned and my mouth assaulted. I let myself melt into him. God, his kiss is better than any dream I could ever have. A little moan slips from me as I start to push his hands down. I need to turn around, “I need to turn around right now.”
With a breathy nod, he scoots back slightly letting me do what I need.
I have no clue what I’m doing. Just follow what my body is telling me. I climb onto the bed, straddling him before bringing my lips back to his. I wrap one hand in his hair and let the other roam his body. I run my hand down his back. I can feel welts or something like it through his tee-shirt. I don’t still my hand till it’s in between us and I’m touching his bare stomach. I slide my other hand down his chest to get his shirt off of him. His hands grab mine, and he breaks our kiss.
“Hey, we-we gotta stop.” He pants. “There’s plenty of time for all that; it doesn’t have to be all right now.”
“We’re just kissing.”
“If ya take this shirt off me, I’m gonna wanna take that one off ya. Then it’ll be the bra because I’ll not be able to resist rolling my tongue across what I’m hoping are large long nipples. If that happens how long do you think it will be before I've got my head between your thighs?”
I lick my lips, thinking about what he’s saying.
“Aye, see that? That proves we can’t, just kiss right now.” He pulls away from me, scrambling from under me. “I wanna, believe me; it’s just- not yet. We’re not there yet.”
I nod before dropping my head on the bed. I hear a hard sigh come from him.
“That position could get ya pregnant.”
“Most people maybe, they made me get birth control when I started my period the first time. It last twelve years.” I sit up and turn toward him. “I was nine when they put the first one in. It only lasted until I was fourteen. Then they decided that longer would be better. Meaning I’m protected till I got married or turned twenty-five, whichever came first.”
Rónán comes around to me, taking my chin in his hand, kissing me softly. “I’m sorry they forced something like that on ya. You know if ya don’t want it, it can be taken out. Were ya at least having it looked at regularly? I hear they can have issues sometimes.”
“We had a private doctor that checked me every six months. It doesn’t bother me. I don’t really know any different.”
“Well, I suppose we’ll have to get ya some doctors, huh? Been so busy tryin’ to get ya settled we forgot about the basics of life here. Doc McHale can probably make a few referrals. But we’ll worry about that tomorrow. Right now I think we need to go back out there before the boy thinks we killed each other.”
“Okay, but he’s still got no tv or games.”
“Totally.” Rónán smiles kissing me once more before helping me off the bed and out of the room.
16 Rónán
I can’t sleep for waking. I’m on her couch. The doctors insisted she be monitored and frankly Nolan is too freaked to do it, so who else does it leave? She sleeps with the door open. It’s a good thing if she didn't lookin’ in on her would have been… Difficult. If she’d woken and looked at me with those eyes… My resolve would have dissolved. As it were, it took all of my wills to resist layin' her out and making her bite the pillow.
I want her, but I have to wait. Let’s face it I know I aged her, but Rory would have my hide if I dishonored her, and besides seventeen can get ya twenty. I don’t wanna just take her; I wanna deserve her, I don’t wanna just be the one because I was around. Or she’s tryin’ to sully herself so the families won't want her anymore. I won’t be the last resort, and I won't let her do that to herself. I wait for the sunrise and having finally had enough of laying here awake and bored I dock my iPod put in my Bluetooth buds and get to fixing breakfast. I sing along, to this and that. Making a pepper and egg hash brown casserole. I add bacon crumbles and scallions for an added bite. Here if You Want, by Mosss plays and I can’t help but dance a bit. I turn around spotting something move out of the corner of my eye. Pulling out my earbud, I smile seeing her all sleepy faced.
“Sorry, did I wake ya?”
“No, I think I had a fever again. My bed is soaked, but the headache woke me. What are you doing up? It's barely light out.”
“Got hungry. Making food; it’s not like we really ate much last night.” I turn to the coffee pot. “I made coffee for ya; how do ya like it?”
“Completely black. What are you making?” Noel asks sitting at the counter.
“Stuffed sweet bell peppers with bacon, cheese, and scallions over a bed of baked hash browns.
Got it from my diabetic notebook.” I purse my lips, passing her the coffee cup and turning on her kettle for my tea.
“You're a smartass ya know?” She takes a sip of her coffee before sighing. “You have a nice singing voice.”
I nod at her. “Thanks, was a choir boy for some years, Rory thought it would build character, but I just liked the Holy Communion wine.” I check the casserole it’s almost done. “Hey what do ya say to taking this out to the patio, and letting Nolan sleep?”
“Are you sure I won't be attacked?” She asks seriously.
“Ya worried about Fred? He’s got a vet appointment, so he's under lock and key this morning. Come on.” I pour my tea and come around the counter. “Food will be just another minute. “Take our drinks, and I’ll be right behind ya.” I bend down and kiss her gently.
She nips at my lip before standing and taking our drinks outside. I quickly get the food sorted and come out to her with an afghan over her, as she sits snuggled in the lounger. Guess she’s still feeling a bit of a chill even with the summer air. I put the food down on the table beside her and just stand over her a moment. “Got room for one more?” I tease.
She lifts the afghan for me to sit. “I remember a time; mom used to make these. I had to leave the one she made me.” She sighs remembrance in her eyes.
I slip into the space pulling her into me, getting us repositioned, so she is now the little spoon. I kiss her bare shoulder. “I wasn’t sure if I should say anything, but, what if I told ya I could get ya that afghan?”
“What? How?” She asks, pulling back so she can look at me.
“I hear things, and as a pawnbroker and estate reseller, I get alerts of things too. Yer place is out of probate. They’re goin’ to auction it and everything inside. I got an invitation to the preview.”
“It's a setup. They're hoping we show up. I know what they want, I know where everything is.”
“It very well may be, but I never miss an estate auction, for me to not show up is suspect. What are they looking for?”
“They want the paperwork, we have. It's on all the families. Not that I need it because I memorized everything as soon as it came in. However, not everyone was as good as me. Everything we have could tear each family from the inside out.”
“I could see that as valuable information, but why wouldn’t they have just looted the house for it by now?”
“Because dad had me move it. I hid everything under and in stuff that meant something to me. Stuff that was given to me over the years. Mom's hope chest she made before she died. They want stuff from dads office, but nothing is left in there. Watch and see.”
“Okay, so you tell me what to bid on, and I’ll get it home to ya.” I pull her into me. “We’ll figure out a way to get the families off yer back for good.”
“Yeah, but it can’t come here. It will call too much attention.”
“That’s what my place is for. I often keep the higher-priced items at my home before I auction them off so it wouldn't look suspicious to have them freighted. I could even ship them to my storage facility in Tennessee then go get them myself so they can't be tracked.”
“Honestly, the soldiers are big, loud, and stupid. There were only three on the Italian side that worried me. Well, two now.” She lays back against me. “If only I could get amnesia and forget it all.”
“I can’t make ya forget, but I may be able to distract ya for a little while.” My left-hand slips down to her hip then around to the base of her belly as my right-hand turns her face to me for a deep and penetrating kiss.
17 Onóra
I'm across Rónán’s lap, the cover over us. My hands are getting their fill of his perfectly sculpted body. I pull lightly on chest hair, and this earns me a quiet growl from deep in his chest. This, of course, has me doing it again because the growl is probably the sexiest thing I've ever heard in all my life. I pull his lip into my mouth and give it a suckle. His hands squeeze and knead the crease in my thighs.
He breaks the kiss. “Are ya wearing any knickers?”
I shake my head, no. “They don't really work with these shorts.” I wiggle a little as I feel something tap me from behind. Thank God, I'm not the only one not able to control my body. Another rumble from him, as I feel his fingers trace my elastic waistband at my belly button.
“Please say yes.” He pleads into my half-open mouth.
“Yes, Rónán. Please.” His hand pushes past my waistband, and he slips it between my shaking thighs as he manages to roll me to my back. The lounger creaks and wobbles but holds as I feel his fingers trace my lips.
“Pop yer top for me?” He asks, licking down my neck.
I bite my lip as I unbutton my top. I'm not wearing a bra, so all it takes is a couple of buttons, and it's falling open. His fingers are teasing my opening. I watch his face as he takes in my body. His eyes trace down my lines, and as he bends down, taking a hard nipple into his mouth, his teasing ends. I feel the pressure and the slight burn of his long thick finger as it enters me.
“Rónán.” His name slips off my tongue with ease as I grip his forearms tighter it's all so much and at the same time, not enough. I arch my back as he moves his mouth to my other nipple. He nips and pulls, sucking hard, strong. The whole lounger is moving, as he goes deeper into me.
“Rock your hips against my hand. Roll them like riding a horse.”
I do as he instructs and he fills me with another as I feel a deep throbbing start to work through me.
“That’s perfect.” Rónán kisses me again. “Come for me. Come on, Onóra.” He whispers softly in my ear.
Out of nowhere, my body feels like a tidal wave. All I want to do is scream but I can't. So, I lock my teeth and nails into Rónán’s skin as I see stars. I guess I hurt him because rather than call out he clamps down on my shoulder! I squeal, he jumps, and the lounger collapses with us in it!
“Ugh! Talk about a bang.” He starts laughing as he lays on top of me.
“I can't believe you bit me!”
“Me! What about you? Teeth and nails I’m gonna have to change yer name from wee bird to velociraptor!” He pushes my hair back and kisses me right where he bit me.
“I-I, well it was better than me screaming and alerting everyone to what we've been up too.” I say trying to be serious but just end up laughing at the whole scenario.
“Tell me? Did ya even try to use the Allen wrench attachment for the drill, or did you put this together by hand?”
“Do you want that answer?” I pull my lip into my mouth.
“Hmm… Guess I have my answer.” He kisses each breast before buttoning me back up. “Next time, I’m gonna use my tongue here.” He presses his fingers against me firmly. “Among other things.”
“Promises, promises,” I say running my hand between us to what could only be the promised land after what just happened. “What about you? Do I get to touch you?”
He drops his head with a low groan. “Another time, unlike you, touching me will make quite the mess.” He stills my hand. “I hear yer phone, and it’s gonna wake, Nolan.” With regret in his eyes, he gets up and pulls me off the ground. “Until next time.” I give him another quick peck on the lips and rush to grab the phone.
“What do you mean I’m fired?” I ask my boss/ex-boss, Cindy, just as Rónán is coming into the living room.
“You were a no call, no show. You can pick up your last check this week.”
“No, that’s not right I called. I ended up in the hospital with Cat Scratch Fever.”
Cindy’s laughter filters through the line. “That’s the first time I’ve heard that one. Nice try, kid.” I’m starting to see as red as I know my face is.
“Let me tell you something you piece of no good, white-” The phone is ripped out of my hands, and I'm kissed hard enough to weaken my knees.
“That dirty mouth has far better uses, I'm sure.” He hangs up the phone, putting it and me on the arm of the couch.
“Rónán, did you say so
mething to make her mad, again?” Finn asks, getting closer. “Never mind, I’ll come back later. Can you not do anything anywhere I may touch?”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” I say to Finn who is behind me because I can hear that he’s close but can’t see him as my eyes haven’t left Rónán’s.
“Yes, I do. They taught us sex ed my last month of school.”
I push against Rónán standing up and turning to face Finn. “What? Shouldn’t a paper have come home to let me know or ask permission?” I turn to look at Rónán. “Did you know about this? He tells you everything!”
“Uh, I know they were teachin’ it, didn't know you didn’t. It’s a basic class. STI’s, general reproduction, and they spout abstinence around these parts overall. It doesn’t get deep till high school, and even then it’s rudimentary.” He locks eyes with me. “Calm down.”
“But-he knows things he shouldn’t be knowing.”
“Ya don’t know what he knows. All he did was use the word sex ed, and yer jumping to conclusions. Maybe talk to him?” He grabs my arms gently and turns me toward Finn.
How in the hell can I talk to him about sex when one, I never got the talk and two, I've technically never had sex?
I take a deep breath. “Nolan, I'm sorry for snapping. Do you want to talk about what you learned in class?”
He shuffles in place a bit, looking at the floor. “Um, well some of the guys at basketball keep askin’ me if I’ve gotten my first boner yet, I don’t know what I should say. I mean it’s weird, right?”
“Well, I think it's personal, and everyone is different. I didn't get asked that question, but I got plenty of others. Especially when I started, you know forming more than others. So, only you can answer that question. Do you want to talk about that with them or anyone?” Dear God, I'm not going to make it through this.
“Just remember when they all start with the measuring tape you measure from the balls.” Rónán offers with a snort, prompting me to smack him in the stomach. “Oomph. I’m just educating the boy on the moments of locker room antics.”