by Jaye Cox
Old habits die hard and I drag my gaze away and close my eyes, I’m not quite ready to bare my whole soul to him. When I finish singing I still have my eyes closed, I’m afraid everyone may just boo me off the stage. So before I open them I take a huge breath in, and that’s when I hear them all clapping and of course Jash is whistling and yelling out something mildly inappropriate. I’m pretty sure he told me to pop a titty, the idiot. Opening my eyes, I stand and look out and it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be, singing in front of a crowd. I walk off stage and back to the table. Dex leans over and kisses me, and what a kiss it is for our first PDA.
“Get a room.” Joe says.
“No way that’s hot. Feel free to get it on right here, I’m up for watching.” Jash says. That’s enough to ruin the moment. Trust Jash to say something inappropriate, but that’s why we all love him. I pull away from the kiss and watch as Dex licks his lips.
“Wow, what’s with all the PDA Dex? Who is this and what did you do to my sister?” I roll my eyes, Dex and Ty both laugh.
“Jealous are you? I saw you trying to chat up the girl at the bar, maybe you have just lost all your game brother.”
“I have plenty of game; she just needs time to warm up to my awesome.”
It’s nice just sitting around with friends. I look over at the bar and see the girl Ty has been talking to all night, staring at him He needs a nice girl to date, he has been so caught up in Bells’ world; I was afraid he might have actually had a thing for her, even though he says they’re just friends. Oliver must have disappeared at some point, because when he comes back he looks at me with a smile. “I didn’t know you could sing like that.” Oliver says.
“I’m not that great.” I say. Dex puts his hand on my leg, and I know it’s a male posturing thing.
“You are, and if you ever want to do it for a living let me know, my dad would go crazy for a talent like you.” He says.
Dex’s fingers dig into my leg a little and I put my hand over his. “Singing is just something I do for me, but thanks anyway.” Oliver goes on to explain he just got a phone call about the new band he has been raving to me about, and they have agreed to play for him, and consider signing. He wants to know if I will go with him, I have been excited about hearing them since I had lunch at his house. I tell him as long as he does it at night when I’m free, then I’m in. Dex excuses himself to make a phone call and I watch him walk outside. After a few minutes of talking to Oliver about the band I decide to go see if Dex is okay. I find him outside smoking and walk over and pull it from his mouth.
“Hey, I wasn’t finished with that,” he says.
“You shouldn’t be smoking.” I say, taking a drag.
“Pot calling the kettle black?” He says back.
“You have a daughter and I don’t. So there.” I flick the smoke away and Dex pulls me to his body...
“Thank you.” he says.
“For what?”
“Making my world better, for being you.” I don’t know what to say, so I lean my head into his neck and he just hugs me. He must have had a bad moment, I have them often and they suck. “I need to get home to Harlow; did you want me to take you home?”
“No thanks, I might stay a bit longer, come see me later after Harlow is asleep.”
“I have to talk to Winnie about wanting to start having Harlow live with me. If I can blackmail Big Moe into giving you the day off tomorrow, will you help me with something?”
“Sure, but don’t promise him a kidney or anything.” I jest.
With a laugh and a kiss, Dex is gone and I’m walking back inside. I spot the girl staring at Ty again, so I stop at the bar to get a drink and a closer look. She is quite attractive, but I can tell she’s self-conscious about her weight by the way she is standing.
“He likes you.” I say, and startle the poor girl.
“Who?” she says, playing dumb.
“The guy you have been staring at all night.”
“Why would someone like him like someone like me?”
“What’s wrong with you? Are you a crazy or have six toes? Maybe a third nipple, now that would just be weird,” that makes her laugh.
“I’m not exactly a super model like all the girls over at his table. I’m chubby and he is – well, look at him.”
“You my love, are stunning; those bimbos are solely there for Jash, and my brother isn’t a superficial asshole. He is easy on the eyes, but I swear he has a heart of gold.” She is taken aback when I mention he is my brother. I suggest she come join us, but she says she will pass as she has to go back to her friends. I get my beer from Tim the bartender, and head back over to our group. Jash has two girls on his lap, Ty is talking to Oliver, and Joe and Lizzy are being all cute.
“Hey Ruby,” Jash yells out, “let’s take this party back to our place, the kids have to leave.”
I agree to leave but it’s his shout for more beer, we all walk out to the bottle shop. Oliver ends up paying for the alcohol. Lizzy tries to convince Oliver to buy her something, but he is adamant and doesn’t give in... Ty, Jash and the two bimbos go in Ty’s car and when Ty is the designated driver, he always stays under the limit. Joe, Lizzy and I go in Oliver’s car and we beat Ty back to the house. Joe and Lizzy disappear into the spare room, Oliver puts the beer in the fridge and comes and sits on the couch. “So you and Dex are officially a thing now?” he says.
“We are.” I confirm.
“Well, I can’t say I’m ecstatic about it, but if he fucks up, I’m always here.” He says, and I give him a look that says back up buddy, we are just friends. “Just friends I know, and I promise to not bring it up ever again or cross any lines, cross my heart and hope to die and all that crap.”
We sit around and chat for what feels like forever before everyone else turns up, Jash made Ty stop at Maccas and get food. He has chosen food for all, but said he didn’t know what Oliver ate, so he got him a quarter pounder; Oliver says he has never had McDonald’s before, and that starts Jash off because he can’t believe it. Oliver says its crap food and he prefers to keep in shape, which stems into a not everyone can look this hot speech from Jash. Have I mentioned he’s an idiot! Jash wins and Oliver eats the burger, which is wise given Jash wouldn’t have shut up until he had eaten it. Ty has had enough and leaves, he is sober and has been watching us all drink.
Oliver says he also had better take Lizzy home and then tells me he will call me tomorrow. Joe is staying at Oliver’s with Lizzy and that leaves me in the lounge room with Jash and his bimbos.
I get a text message.
DEX: I feel it’s that time in our relationship where we send each other pictures.
I open the message and it’s a picture of his abs.
ME: Nice pic and nice try, I’m not sending you a nude pic.
DEX: : (
ME: Still a no!!!!
DEX: Fine, I might have to come see it in person then.
ME: I’m getting naked and going to bed.
DEX: You don’t play fair.
Wanting another beer I go to the fridge and grab one, I haven’t asked Jash as he is pre occupied with his ménage. As I walk back into the room the girls are both giggling and sneak smug looks my way, I look at Jash and he just shrugs. “Where is it?” I say putting my hand out, realising he has my phone. He hands it to me and I can see he sent has sent Dex a picture of his balls. I give him the finger, because now I can never un-see that. My phone rings and its Dex, I tell him Jash got to my phone and he says he feels sorry for me, but he can sneak over in about an hour, and would expect me to be naked and waiting for him. I tell him I need to go shower and get myself warmed up before he gets here, he says not to warm up unless he can watch. With that in mind, I go and get myself ready for when Dex arrives; I’m not a sexy lingerie girl, I’m more shorts and a tank top girl. But tonight I put in a little effort and put on matching bra and undies, making sure everything is shaved again. Sex as a one night stand or when there is built up sexual tension, is al
ways better sex. But now we are in a relationship, it’s like the first time and this will set the bar for all the other times, I can at least look hot doing it.
“Oh god yes!” I scream out while crushing my pillow between my palms as another orgasm rolls through my body, I have never had this many orgasms in one night. His body collapses on my sweat covered body and I can feel his heart erratically beating into my chest; my legs are trembling and I swear I can see stars. He rolls his body off mine and pulls me into his, he tucks my hair behind my ear, placing his face in the crook of my neck and placing his hand over my hip. Now I’m really glad Jash sent him a picture of his nuts, because within half an hour Dex was here and I was halfway to my first orgasm; now it’s nearing four in the morning and I have to be up at seven to open the shop because Tee, the other body piercer cannot come in until ten to cover for me.
“I have to go,” he whispers into my neck. “I will see you at work in a few hours and wear a top with no straps,” he commands.
“Giving me fashion advice now?” I ask and with one swift movement Dex has me flat on my back with his body is hovering over mine and he is again kissing his way down my body. I’m so swollen, but that doesn’t stop the throbbing that’s started between my legs again.
“I love your smart mouth,” he says against my body.
“I thought you were leaving?” I ask breathlessly.
“I am,” he says, standing up and picking up his pants and sliding them up his legs while I watch his every move. Once he is dressed he leans over and gives me a kiss goodbye. I lay in bed for a while, but the adrenaline must still be running through my body. I hear talking in the kitchen so I decide to go see who is up; maybe Joe and Lizzy have come back here. Just in case it’s not, I slip on Dex’s’ shirt and a clean set of underwear. The two girls Jash bought home are in the kitchen, looking through the drawers. Loudly clearing my throat to get their attention, they both turn startled looks at me, their mouths agape. I doubt they’re trying to rob us since they’re only in underwear.
“OMG you scared me!” The blonde says.
“Did we wake you?” says the other.
“No, I was still awake.” I say.
“Seriously Angela, we could hear them over us, you knew they were awake.” says the blonde. I might have been a little embarrassed if I actually cared someone overheard, like Joe or Lizzy. But Jash brings home a posse of girls almost every weekend, it’s like he hosts some kind of porn star awards for the loudest screamer. If Jash is that good in bed, that’s awesome for him, but my god they all sound the same. Ah ah ah ah ahhhh, yes yes yes, right there, ah ah ah ah ah.
“Well, I hope Jash could keep up then.” I say, the blonde screws up her nose and walks away, leaving the other girl with me. “I’m Angela, but my friends call me Angie.” She says.
“Ruby, and my friends call me Ruby.” I say, offering her a small smile. We get to chatting and I make her a coffee. She actually is nice and not the usual bimbo Jash brings home. She owns a salon in town and admits she usually doesn’t go home with random men, but her friend Becky made her do a bucket list of sorts, and a threesome was on the list. Angie asks if I have ever considered going blonde, she can tell I always do my own hair with all the different colours, it’s currently black with some blue and blonde streaks. My hair isn’t naturally that dark and neither are my eyebrows; but apparently that’s a good thing. Before I know it, she has her bag out and I’m getting my hair bleached at four thirty in the morning. She says if I hate it then I can come to the salon and she will fix it, I tell her it’s only hair. Apparently, I will need to go see her again to get it truly fixed since I have so many different colours in my hair, I might need a few goes to not look a weird bogan blonde.
By the time Jash gets up for his usual ‘kick the girl out before getting ready for work’ routine, Angela has managed to get my hair pretty damn blonde and I actually love it; maybe it could do with a bit of blue or purple through it. She is setting up to give the ends a bit of a cut since we did fry some of my hair with so much bleach.
“There you are babe, I have to get ready for work so it’s time to go.” Jash says, he hasn’t seen me yet because I’m in the kitchen making more coffee, but I can hear him.
“Piss off Jash, Angie is my friend now, so sucks to be you, right?” I say.
“Shut up orgasm girl, Dex fuck me harder,” he mocks, as he makes sexual movements.
“Don’t be jealous you couldn’t keep up.” I say, taking the towel off my hair and the look on Jash’s face is priceless, right before he starts pissing himself laughing.
“I’m going to shower,” he says through the tears from his laughter. Angela cuts my hair and straightens it for me. As she packs up her stuff I ask why she even had it on her, she tells me she was supposed to be staying at Becky’s and doing her hair after they had a few drinks, which turned into coming here. She programs her number into my phone so I can call her and go in to fix it some more. After she and Becky leave I go look at myself in the mirror and it looks good, I never thought I could pull off being a blonde. I leave for work before Jash finishes his morning beauty routine because I need to stop for some energy drinks to get me through the day.
I’m not the first to arrive at work since I was a bit slow in getting ready. Staying up all night having sex was awesome, but not so great now that I haven’t slept. I pack my bag away and have a look to see what we have booked in today. All the tattooists are busy today except Dex, who only has one pencilled in which is weird, I thought he cleared his whole day. Jash walks in all peachy and ready for the day.
“You know, now you really are my type, changing so I will want you is a bit desperate.” Jash says, putting his coffee on the counter.
“In your dreams, Casanova.” I say and he makes a funny face at me. He pokes me in the side of my neck and makes a comment about Dex leaving his mark on me and I have no idea what he is talking about and think he must still be drunk; luckily he has nothing to do today, I’m not exactly sure he is even on today. In frustration I ask him what the hell he is talking about and that’s when he tells me I have a damn hickey.- I pull my bag out from under the bench and pull out my little mirror I carry to fix my makeup. Wearing so much eye makeup takes upkeep, I don’t want to be walking around looking like a two dollar hooker after a hard day. There is a huge ass bluish purple hickey. I storm over to Dex and he is busy drawing up a tattoo.
“What the fuck’s this?” I rage.
He does a double take when he spots my hair, “What’s what?” he questions.
“Don’t play stupid. This, when did this happen?” I retort, frustrated.
“I don’t know,” he says standing up, “maybe about the same time this happened?” And he pulls down the collar of his shirt. I can see the deep indents of my teeth on his shoulder.
“Well, you shouldn’t fuck so well then!” I throw back and walk away, I hear him laugh and I give him the finger over my shoulder and walk into the storage room. After about thirty seconds, I hear the door open and close.
“That mouth of yours seriously turns me on,” he says leaning against the back of the door; “and the new hairdo is making me as hard a rock.”
“Easy there tiger, I’m swollen in places I didn’t know I could be swollen. Is there such a thing as friction burn, maybe I have that?” I murmur.
“Show me and I will kiss it better for you.” He teases.
“Later,” I say, taking the supplies off the shelf. He steps aside and opens the door for me. “So tell me, why did I need to wear this top?” I ask as he follows me out.
“I wanted to do a bit more on your tattoo today, but I got a call from the delivery guys and they’re dropping off Harlow’s bedroom furniture early.”
“That’s cool, Tee shouldn’t be too far away and we can get the delivery and fix her room up. How was your chat with your sister last night?”
“Typical Winnie, she is concerned about me being ready for the responsibility and doing it for the wrong r
easons. We agreed to do it slowly and let Harlow dictate how things will go. They leave tonight to visit my parents and get back after New Year’s.” He doesn’t look pleased with that and I wonder what the story is, but I don’t ask. If he wants to tell me, he can; I hate when people pry into my life.
“Fair enough, I will come find you when I’m ready to leave.”
Everything is restocked and set for the day by the time Tee walks in. She is so loud and over the top, but a crack up to work with. I know Jash has tried and failed to get into her pants so far, I’m not sure how much will power she has left though. I let her know I’m leaving and find Dex drawing again. I peek over his shoulder and it’s a sketch of his wife and Harlow, I feel it pinch in my heart, I can’t imagine what it feels like to lose someone like that. My parents might have abandoned me, but as far as I know they’re still alive. He must sense I’m behind him because he snaps the sketch pad shut and puts it in his drawer. “Ready?” he asks, standing quickly.
“Ready.” I say talking his hand and giving it a little squeeze - just enough to show I care and so he knows I’m here for him. He gives it a squeeze back. No one witnesses our silent exchange, we both have demons inside and if I can help blur his pain even for a minute, then I will do whatever it takes. The moment passes and Dex seems fine now. Jash high fives Dex as we walk past, I seriously wonder how old they are; they are currently acting about sixteen and I know it’s over last night.
“I need to know your secret.” Jash says.
“Says the one who had two women in his bed last night,” Dex adds.
“Let’s go before you start swapping stories like a bunch of girls.” I say, pulling Dex out of the shop. I follow Dex in my car to his place, the delivery truck is already waiting once we get there. Dex helps them unload the furniture into the garage and then we are off to buy supplies for a three year old’s bedroom.