by T. L. Hayes
When he pulled away there was a smile on his face. “You make me hear music, Rachel.”
“Now that’s a first. Most of my lovers don’t hear music until they see me naked.”
“They may see you with your clothes off but I don’t think anyone has ever seen you as naked as you just were.”
“I think you’re right about that.” Rachel looked at him, really looked, not paying any attention to the rest of the diners, who ceased to exist for her at that moment.
“Well, if it isn’t the bisexual and the beast.” Lori’s voice from across the room shattered her focus. She was at their table a moment later with Lanie in tow, their arms crossed over their chests and sneers on their lips.
“Out enjoying themselves just like couples do. Isn’t that cute?” Lori added acidly.
Bobby let go of Rachel’s hand and sat back, narrowing his eyes at their intruders and clenching his jaw.
Rachel could tell he was trying to restrain his anger, possibly because he thought they were still friends of hers and he was trying to be polite or because he was just trying not to make a scene in public. Rachel wasn’t sure, but she felt no compunction either way. Oh, there was going to be a fucking scene, all right, Rachel was sure of it.
She sat back in her seat and looked up at Lori. She spoke to Bobby but her eyes never left Lori’s face. “Oh, look, honey, it’s that bitch I was telling you about who thinks she knows what she’s talking about but really doesn’t.”
Bobby said nothing, just swallowed and exhaled angrily. His eyes went from Rachel to Lori and back again.
“I’m a bitch because I tell the truth?”
“No, you’re a bitch because you are mean and think your truth is reality.” Rachel stood up to Lori, who backed up a step. Her words were spoken quietly but directly. “If you don’t shut your mouth and leave us the fuck alone, I’m going to shut it for you. Want to try me?” Rachel leaned in closer, staying in Lori’s space, making her threat clear.
Bobby stood up and took Rachel’s arm. “Remember when I said I didn’t have bail money?” he joked as he gently tugged on her arm.
Without breaking eye contact with Lori, Rachel said, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to hit her. She’s not worth it. Let’s go.” She let Bobby lead her out, the whole time giving dirty looks over her shoulder, not caring about the looks they were now getting from the other diners.
* * *
“Who the fuck does she think she is? Thinking she can just come up and say shit like that?” They were in Rachel’s car but she had given Bobby the keys, as she knew she was too angry to drive. She wanted to rant instead and was sure Bobby would be steadier on the road than she would be at the moment.
Bobby asked, “So do you really know how to fight?”
Rachel, thrown out of her anger for a moment by the question, laughed. “The closest I’ve come to knowing how to fight is from watching these kung fu videos in class. And the videos looked more like dance videos then something I could use for self-defense. But she doesn’t know that.” At that declaration, her anger was fueled again.
“Why is she so angry about who you date, anyway? Why is it any of her business?”
Rachel let out an exasperated sigh. “Full disclosure?”
“That would be nice.”
She put her hand on his knee. Bobby didn’t take either hand off the wheel, which she wished he would have, but she let it pass and kept her hand where it was. “We kinda, sorta dated. Okay, if I’m being totally honest, we didn’t date, we just had sex a few times. She wanted to date but I never did. I just wanted to keep it casual, you know? She couldn’t handle it and got kind of obsessive for a while but then backed off and we became friends for a while. She’s just a major pain in my ass and I should have never slept with her in the first place but I did and I can’t change that.”
“You broke her heart.”
“I didn’t mean to!”
“I know that. Just as Rory didn’t mean to break your heart by falling in love with…Maggie, right?”
“Yeah. And I never said Rory broke my heart.”
“But didn’t she?”
“What do you mean?”
“Think about it. You gave her your heart and she didn’t want it. She only wanted Maggie. I know that had to hurt.”
“It did, but why are you trying to get me to be mad at her?”
“I’m not, just trying to understand that girl from the diner, who, granted, should not treat people that way and I have no idea what she’s done before now, but I don’t know, I just think she deserves our compassion. I’ve always felt that if you can understand where your enemy is coming from, you might be able to defuse a bad situation. I don’t always succeed, but I’m always trying to understand.” He shrugged, then finally did take his hand off the steering wheel and laid it on hers. He clasped her hand with his, then lifted it to his lips and kissed it.
She sighed contentedly. “I firmly believe you could single-handedly bring about world peace if everyone just tried to do things your way.”
He laughed, sounding surprised and embarrassed. “I don’t know about that, but maybe I can take a stab at it with my music.” Then he began to sing the refrain from “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing,” and Rachel joined him. They laughed together as they continued to sing.
When the song ended, Rachel said, “Wow, that was cheesy. I’m glad I can be cheesy with you.”
“Yeah, me too.”
“Bobby?”
“Yeah?”
“Stay with me tonight?”
He stole a glance at her and she smiled coyly.
He exhaled slowly. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I am. I’d say it’s about time, wouldn’t you?”
“Only if you’re sure.”
“I’m not a virgin, remember?”
“Neither am I.”
“It’s time, Sweet Boy, it’s time.”
“Yeah, it is.” He gave her the sweetest smile and his eyes caught the light of the passing streetlights and they shined.
* * *
As they rode up to the tenth floor, they took advantage of the fact that they were alone in the elevator. They started their dance as Bobby put his arms around her waist and pulled her hungrily to him for a kiss. She pressed him against the railing and leaned into him, putting her hand on the back of his neck. She sucked on his bottom lip as his hands grabbed her ass and she moaned against him.
It was a quick ride up and when the car jolted to a stop on her floor, she pushed away from him, smiled up at the security camera in the corner of the elevator, and waved. “Hope that was as good for you as it was for me,” she said to the anonymous eye of the lens. Then she grabbed Bobby’s hand and pulled him behind her down the hallway toward her door.
She hurriedly unlocked her door and, once it was open, pulled him in behind her and he kicked the door closed with his foot. He stumbled into her and, chuckling, she put her hands on his chest to steady him. “It’s okay, baby, don’t worry about it.” She grabbed him by the belt and walked backward toward the bed, pulling him along. She sat down on the edge of the bed, her hands still on his waist. He stood above her, stroking her hair.
“You’re sure about this?”
She didn’t say a word. She only smiled and locked eyes with him as she proceeded to undo his black leather belt very slowly. Once undone, she unbuttoned his pants and pulled down his zipper. “Can I touch you?”
The look Bobby gave her was one of such tenderness as well as desire. But when he spoke, his voice hesitated. “Yes.”
Whispering, Rachel said, “It’ll be all right. I’ll be gentle.” Instead of plunging in, Rachel first rubbed the crotch of his pants, pushing against the seam.
He put his head back and closed his eyes. Slowly, very slowly, she put her hand inside and pushed against his clit. She just cupped him at first, then very lightly rubbed her thumb over the tip in a slow, rhythmic motion. He pushed his pants down his hips and shimmied until they
fell to his ankles, and he stood there in just his boxers while her hand was inside them. He grabbed onto the railing of the top bunk to steady himself while Rachel continued to explore. As her fingers played with the opening, he tightened his grip on the bed and moaned out loud.
Rachel chuckled. “You like that?”
“Yes.” He stammered when he responded.
“Can I do more than this?”
“Please.”
She grinned at the stutter his desire was giving him. Gently she pulled his boxers down as he stood in front of her splendidly naked from the waist down. She took a breath. The sight was beautiful. Somehow she knew that no matter how much his body changed she would always find him beautiful, even when his body squared off and hollowed out and became manlier. He was just beautifully made and she wanted to do this right. She put her hands on his hips to bring him closer to her and she put her lips to him and sucked in the tip of his clit, then quickly released it, causing him to exhale and push himself into her. She gripped him tighter and started to lick his labia, nibbling here and there, causing him to cry out in such a way that could only mean one thing and she was sure her neighbors heard and understood and she didn’t give a damn. Let him cry out his bliss, she thought. He had a right to it and she was more than happy to give it to him.
As her licking intensified, so did the movement of his hips. He continued to sway and push himself into her mouth with his hands on the back of her head. Finally, after a second cry out, he pushed himself away from her and tilted her chin up and kissed her hungrily. When he pulled away, he said, “My turn.”
“But I’m not done with you.”
“You are for now. My turn, I said.” He pushed her back on the bed, kicking himself free of his pants, and pulled his shirt off over his head. Underneath was an undershirt and the binder he’d mentioned to her before. It zipped up like a vest. He paid little heed to these garments as he took them off as well and threw them aside.
She smiled at him and went to pull her own clothes off, but he stopped her.
“Wait for it.” He grinned, then pushed up her blouse and bra and slowly lifted them over her head. When her breasts were revealed to him, he sighed in contentment. “Oh, Rachel, you are beautiful.” He reached out to her and lightly touched her breast.
“So are you. Now you better finish what you started.”
“Always do.” He followed up his words by taking her nipple into his mouth, and as his teeth clamped down she let out a surprised cry of pleasure. He took his time with her nipples, giving each of them his utmost attention and driving her out of her mind.
Finally, she couldn’t stand the sweet torture anymore and grabbed him by the hair, pulled his face away, and said, “For the love of God, fuck me now. Please.”
He grinned as he caressed his fingers down her belly and to her clit. He teased her there, just as she had teased him. She moaned in protest and it made him grin. She pushed on his arm to try to make him enter her and he understood her message perfectly.
As he entered her, he said, “I’m not going to fuck you, I’m going to make love to you.” Then he brought her to orgasm with piston-like insistence and she cried out several times before she fell back, limp on her pillows, his hand at rest but still inside her.
Her body rippled with aftershocks and he kissed her forehead as she snuggled into him. He pulled his hand free and put it to rest on her hip. “You okay?”
Her voice was unsteady when she answered. “Yes. I’m more than okay.”
He chuckled. “Good.” He pulled the covers up to their waists and kissed her lightly on the lips. “It was definitely time.”
“Oh yeah. If you don’t mind, can’t talk right now.” She put her hand on his chest and closed her eyes.
Chapter Eight
Rachel called Rory as soon as Bobby left.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of this call on this fine Saturday morning?” Rory asked.
“Oh, the pleasure was all mine, let me tell you,” Rachel gushed.
“Rachel Cole, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you’ve just gotten lucky. Have you gotten lucky?” There was much amusement in Rory’s voice and Rachel could just picture the grin on her face.
“Oh, I got very lucky, in more than one way. Oh my God, he’s the sweetest person on the fucking planet.”
Rory laughed. “So you’re saying he’s a sensitive lover?”
“A lady doesn’t kiss and tell.”
“That’s why I asked you.”
“Asshole.”
Ignoring her, Rory asked, “So, you finally gave him the golden ticket, huh? What’d he do to deserve that?”
“Nothing. And everything. Oh my God, Rory…I’ve never gushed over anyone before and I can’t keep the stupid grin off my face. I look just like you did when I caught you playing that old fart’s music that one day.”
“Excuse you? That old fart was Louis Armstrong and he deserves your respect.”
“Yeah, yeah. Focus, Morgan, we’re talking about important things here.”
“I will not have you desecrate a great musician like that. Not on my watch, Rachel Cole. Not when he got me and Maggie together.”
“Louis Armstrong got you together?” Rachel asked, doubtfully.
“Yeah. We had our first dance and kiss to Louis. I think it serves as a good beginning. Did the two of you have any special music?”
Rachel burst out laughing. “Only if you count that hippie song they turned into a Coke commercial.”
“You made out to a song about world peace?”
Rachel snickered. “I guess you had to be there.”
“I’m glad I wasn’t.”
Rachel could barely contain her hysterics when she said, “You were there in spirit.”
“I don’t think I want to know what that means.”
Ignoring her, Rachel said, “Oh, but I didn’t tell you what led up to it. I almost punched Lori.”
“Rachel, I did not know you found violence such a turn on. This makes me see you in such a new way.”
“Didn’t I tell you to focus? This is a good story. Are you going to be a good girl and listen?” Rachel asked, amused.
Rory rattled off a bit of dialogue from My Fair Lady about Eliza’s protestations about being a good girl.
Rachel sighed and shook her head. “Your British accent needs work.”
“You know I suck at accents.” Rory was quiet a moment, as if listening to someone else, then she said, “What? That’s not nice.”
“What’s not nice?” Rachel asked.
“Maggie, the love of my life, the reason I get up in the morning, mainly because she gets up so freakishly early, just said that I should stick to American accents. Midwestern ones, preferably.”
Rachel laughed. “I think she’s saying you have no range.”
“The hell with both of you all. I’m only marrying her because she’s so damn cute. And the grin she just gave me confirms this.”
Rachel laughed. “Yeah, have you started planning that yet?”
“Actually, yes. We’re mostly done.”
“Wow, already? When were you going to tell me?”
“When we were done. But, sure, now’s good too.”
“But how can you be done already? Don’t weddings take months to plan?”
“Not for us. We are very simple people. We already have a cool spot picked out to get married in. Not going to tell you where yet—I want it to be a surprise. We’re both wearing suits, if you can imagine. Of course Bill will stand with her. Dix is getting certified online so he can marry us. It was his idea. Since neither one of us is religious, we definitely didn’t want to go that route.”
“That’s it?”
“Yep, that’s pretty much it. Just got to worry about the food and get invitations. Simple stuff.”
“Aren’t you forgetting something?”
“Nope, can’t think of anything.” But Rachel heard merriment in Rory’s tone and knew she was lying.
> “Rory Morgan, I’m going to give you to a count of ten to tell me I’m your best person or I’m hanging up this phone. Ten, nine, eight—”
“Duh, of course you are. Geez, no one else could ever embarrass me like you, so of course you get the job.”
Rachel squealed in triumph.
“Ow, don’t squeal in my ear like that.”
Rachel stopped and said sheepishly, “Sorry. So does this mean I get to wear a suit too and make a toast?”
“Yes on both accounts. Just don’t embarrass me too much. I know where your bodies are buried, Rachel Cole, and I have pictures.”
“Nonsense, I always make sure there’s no photographic evidence. Can I bring Bobby?”
“Of course you can. I know he’s part of the package now and I’m happy for you, Rachel. And so is Maggie—she told me to tell you.”
Rachel felt herself blush and hated it. Rory was the blusher, not her. “This could be the one, Morgan. This could be it for me.”
“Oh, it’s natural to think that after the first time.” Rory snickered.
“Oh, shut up! When I said it to you it was literally and truly your first time and my point still stands.”
“Maybe for some people, but I still think I’m in love with her.”
“You better. I really want to wear this suit. Talk about a first time.”
“You’ll look cute in it, I gotta admit.”
“Aww. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, now I have to go. That much sentiment made me nauseous.”
“God, I know, douche.”
“Right back at ya, ho.”
* * *
Bobby was enjoying the few hours in his day before he had to go to work by sitting completely dressed in jeans and T-shirt, sock footed on his brother’s couch, eating a bowl of leftover spaghetti he had brought home from work the night before.
The restaurant he worked at didn’t just sell pizza, they had a full buffet with several different Italian staples, and the workers were allowed to take some home at the end of the night. He didn’t care that it was only ten in the morning. Who made the rule that said certain foods should only be eaten at certain times of the day, anyway?