Making Her Wait

by Brianna Cash

  “I thought you’d never ask…” She drags me back to her room, flipping off light switches on the way.

  Once in her room, though, I don’t know what to do. I don’t feel right watching her change, not after everything we’ve been through lately, not since as of ten minutes ago, I still wasn’t sure I’d ever get to see her again after tonight. Walking back out to the hallway, I tell her I’m going to brush my teeth. I don’t have a toothbrush, but I’ll use hers. Considering how far down my throat her tongue was earlier, I think it’ll be ok.

  Genny takes the toothbrush from me when I’m done, brushing her own teeth in that tempting cami and her very short pajama shorts that I remember all too well. She hurries back into her room, obviously not at all uncomfortable with watching me undress.

  “Are you gonna behave tonight?” I ask as I slide into her bed. She rolls her eyes, crawling under the covers and plastering herself against my body.

  She’s jumping back into this with no hesitation, trusting me so much more than I deserve after everything we’ve been through.

  “Yes, I’ll behave.” Reaching over her shoulder, she turns off the bedside lamp before snuggling back into my chest. “I’m exhausted. It was a long day. If you don’t start anything, nothing is happening.”

  “What happens if I start something?”

  “Whatever you want to happen, Friend.”

  My heartbeat kicks into overdrive when she uses my nickname, reminding me of when we were good, when we were together, when we were happy. “So, if I tell you I wanna have sex with you…”

  “I’ll shout halle-freaking-lujah from the rooftops.”

  Chuckling at her very enthusiastic response, I hold her close, unable to believe this is really happening. I’m in her house, in her bed. She’s in my arms again, and she asked me to move in with her. She’s willing to have sex with me, tonight, right now. I’m touching her again. I can sleep with her and wake up with her and just plain be with her.

  “What’re you thinking so hard about?” she asks quietly, her lips brushing against my jawline.

  “It’s just hard to believe this is real. I keep waiting for you to tell me it’s all a joke and you never want to see me again.”

  She rolls over so I can spoon her, pulling my arm tight around her waist and lacing her fingers through mine. “This is real, Walker. Get used to it. Cherish and trust it. Take good care of it. Take advantage of it.”

  Take advantage of it?

  What a strange thing to say.

  It’s true though, I should take advantage of every second I have with her. Just because we’re together and we love each other doesn’t mean our time together is guaranteed. Pulling her a little closer, I kiss the back of her head, hearing her sigh contentedly in return.

  She made the comment about always waiting on me... Maybe she’s tired of waiting on me. Tired of waiting for me.

  Squeezing her fingers, I decide maybe I don’t want to wait anymore. “I love you, G.”

  Genny presses our hands to her mouth, kissing the back of my hand. “I love you, too, Friend.”

  It’s the first time we’ve ever made that simple but intense exchange. It feels good. It feels right. It feels like it should be celebrated.

  “Hey, come here,” I ask quietly, feeling her roll again to face me. She throws a leg over mine, her arm sliding up my side to rest against my chest. “Have you unpacked our toy yet?”

  “No.” She presses a kiss to my lips, a clear invitation for more if I want it.

  “Do you know where your condoms are?”

  Her mouth tips into a smile against my skin, and her hand slips between us to stroke me through my boxers. “I happen to know there’s a couple in my purse.”

  “You should go get your purse.”

  Throwing the covers off, she flips the bedside lamp back on before turning to me. “Are you sure? I don’t wanna pressure you into anything.”

  “If you don’t go get your purse, I’m gonna get it for you. That’ll take a lot long longer since I have no idea where to even start looking.”

  Her teeth land on her bottom lip and she looks up at me from under her eyelashes. “Promise me lots of kissing?”

  Since when is she nervous and I’m pushing for sex?

  “When isn’t there lots of kissing with us, G?”

  “Promise me you won’t regret this in the morning?”

  Pulling her back into my arms, I start the kissing now. I’m a big fan of kissing Genny. I can’t get off on it like she can, but I can and have done it all night long. I’m the one to pull away this time, but not for long. “As long as kissing you is involved, my sweet Genevieve, I promise I won’t regret anything.”

  She moves to straddle me, and I worry she’s gonna get this party started without me. She’s just warming up though, devouring me with her mouth and her tongue until we’re both breathless and beyond ready.

  She pushes off me without a word, disappearing through her open doorway.

  Tossing her purse onto the bed two minutes later, she starts pulling off her clothes before sliding back under the covers with me. “I have two. How do you feel about little to no foreplay, and fast and hard this first time? Then slower and sweeter with tons of foreplay once we’ve released the tension that’s been between us almost since we met?”

  “And tomorrow we buy a lot more?”

  “I like the way you think, Friend.” She smiles again, nipping at my bottom lip. Then she’s searching through her purse and I reach to feel her, one hand grazing over her sensitive nipples while the other moves between her legs.

  “Walker,” she moans. “I’m never gonna find them if you keep distracting me.”

  “Just keep looking. I can’t keep my hands off you.” After sucking her peaked nipple into my mouth, I smile as she cries out, holding me to her with one hand.

  “That’s not your hand,” she scolds me.

  “I can’t keep my mouth off you, either. Both hands in your purse, please.”

  Moving down her body, I lean her back into a semi-horizontal position. She’s propped up on her pillows, so she can still search her purse, and either I’m a huge distraction, or she has way too much shit in there, because it’s taking forever.

  “Oh!” she whimpers as I settle my mouth between her legs and push my fingers inside her. “I… oh, yes!… I found… Fuck, Walker!”

  “You found one?” I eventually ask, licking one last circle around her clit.

  “Yes…” She hisses at the friction of my fingers still inside her. “Don’t stop, please.”

  I get on my knees, my fingers still lazily pumping into her, so I can lean over to kiss that sweet, delicious mouth. As she licks her own wetness off my lips, her hips start moving of their own accord, rocking her closer to the point of no return.

  “G, I wanna be inside you when you come.”

  I slow my fingers even more.

  She moans, letting her head fall back against the pillows, the first waves of her orgasm already here. Stopping it in its tracks, I pull my fingers from her, grabbing the condom and ripping it open, sliding it on and settling between her legs.

  My eyes raise to hers. “Tell me you want this, Genny.”

  “Lord, Walker! Haven’t we waited long enough?”

  I kiss her lips again, wanting that smart mouth on me in any way. She pushes one hand into my hair, deepening the kiss, even as she guides me to her entrance. Her tongue is hot in my mouth and her hands are gripping my short hair when I finally thrust into her for the first time. Moaning at how fucking good she feels, I break from her kiss and look into her eyes.

  “I love you, G.”

  Her answering smile is wicked as she flexes her muscles around me, pushing another soft groan past my lips. “I love you too, Friend. Now shut up and give me a fireworks show.”

  Genny’s Epilogue

  November – Two Months Later

  “What the hell is that?!” Reese hisses as I walk through her back door. Following me is Wal
ker, with a box containing all the fun goodies we decided Zeke needed.

  “Pickles replacement,” Walker calmly tells her, before yelling for his nephew.

  Reese mumbles under her breath, obviously not very happy that we got Zeke another pet. Pickles, the hamster, died last month. After a touching burial and a couple weeks in mourning, Zeke started asking for another pet.

  Since starting her part time job, Reese decided there was no way they were getting another animal because she has too many other things to worry about. Money is now a very big worry for them, but they never complain.

  Reese works every other weekend; the same weekends Steve is away for work. She wanted to work when he was home, but Walker and I nixed that idea fast. They need their time to grow and be a family. Plus, if Reese is working when Steve isn’t home, they need a sitter. Which is where we come in.

  The boys get dropped off at our place every Saturday morning they’re parents are working. Reese picks them back up Sunday night when her shift is over. Walker and I put a bunk bed in the guest room, which for now, is called the boys room.

  Walker did move in. Officially, he changed his address to mine a little over two weeks after I moved in to my little house. I think it was my first migraine there that finally convinced him. It started on a Sunday evening. He worried the entire time, constantly checking on me even though I told him I just needed to sleep it off. When he got there to check on me Monday afternoon, it was gone, but he acted like he hadn’t seen me for weeks.

  We talk about it sometimes, our time apart. The conversation we had on the trail. What helped make my decision to give him a hell of a second chance, as he calls it. He still doesn’t believe that most of the flaws he listed are ones that I also have. He doesn’t understand that I think he’s perfect for me, just like he thinks I’m perfect for him. He messed up, big time, but so did I.

  In the end, we learned from it. We changed from it. We grew from it.

  Things aren’t always perfect, he still puts way too much sugar in our coffee every time he makes it, but life with Walker is just like that coffee. Sweeter than I ever imagined it could be. It’s fuller, richer, way more interesting. Every day holds something good, and I thank my lucky stars I had that one horrible day that brought him to me.

  That one stressful day changed everything.

  “Uncle Walk! Genny!” Zeke runs into the room, with Finn pumping his tiny little legs to keep up. Zeke has discovered that little brothers are a pain in the butt when they can follow you around everywhere. Sliding to a stop next to me, Zeke hangs on to my jeans, one hand clinging to my back pocket, his other fingers digging into the pocket on my hip. Walker eyes his nephew’s hand on my ass and rolls his eyes.

  We’re still working on the jealousy thing. From both sides. Walker is a very attractive guy, and some girls don’t know to not flirt with him while I’m standing right next to him. Chloe is still an issue every time we go to Kane’s restaurant. Even when Walker throws his arm over my shoulders and kisses me in front of her.

  Some girls will never learn.

  I’m not one of them.

  I’ve learned that Walker’s heart belongs to me, just like mine belongs to him.

  I still don’t mind letting any girl who looks too closely at him know that she’s barking up the wrong tree.

  “Genny, what’s in the box?” Zeke quietly asks, his voice full of barely contained excitement.

  “You’ll have to ask your Uncle Walk, Zeke.”

  His eyes fill his face and his mouth forms an “o” before he practically pushes me out of the way to get to Walker. Grabbing Finn, who was about to climb onto the table, I join Reese, leaning against the counter to watch the show.

  “Zeke, buddy,” Walker starts. “I kind of have a problem. I was at the store and I saw this really cool fish. It’s blue and red and has these long flowy fins and tail. We all know I’m a sucker for pretty things…” Walker looks up, flashing me a smile. “So I just had to buy it. But when I took it home, Genny yelled at me. She said that we’re not home often enough to have a pet.”

  Zeke looks at me with harsh disappointment, upset that I wouldn’t let his uncle have a fish in our house. Which is bullshit, Walker can put a fish in our house. Walker can put whatever he wants in our house, because I don’t have to take care of Walker or anything he touches.

  Walker is very used to taking care of himself. I don’t have to pick up after him or cook for him. I don’t have to do his wash or ask him to take the garbage out or put the dishes in the dishwasher. He wasn’t kidding when he said he was self-sufficient. I almost wish he wasn’t as self-sufficient as he is, because at times, I don’t feel needed.

  That’s usually when Callie calls me, asking me for a recipe, or why her laundry is suddenly pink, or crying because she doesn’t have time to clean her apartment, and how the hell did I do it all for years?

  And if Callie doesn’t call me, Walker takes time to explain how he needs me. Sometimes he just shows me. He’s very good at showing me. There’s usually a fireworks show involved.

  Walker gives the best fireworks shows.

  “Since Genny is being so mean about this fish, I thought maybe you could take care of it for me. You would have to feed him every single day. And your mom will probably have to change the water for you sometimes, but other than that, he just needs a friend to talk to him. What do you think? Can you take care of this really pretty fish?”

  “YES!” Zeke starts hopping up and down on his feet as his fist does its own little dance. “Can I see it? Did you bring it now?”

  “I did. Where do you think we should put this fish bowl?”

  Zeke runs from the room, looking for the perfect spot for his new friend to live. Walker grabs the bowl, chasing after him.

  Glancing at Reese, I find a reluctant smile on her face. Since Walker moved in with me and we get the boys so often, I’ve started to get to know her a lot better. We like a lot of the same things. We want a lot of the same things out of life. She keeps telling me that Walker and I need to have some kids, so Zeke and Finn have some cousins to play with. I keep telling her one thing at a time. Although if I leave it up to Walker it will take us forever to even start trying.

  Walker isn’t exactly hasty when making decisions that progress our relationship.

  I told Walker once that I couldn’t believe we got together in the first place. It should have taken him months to ask me out. He reminded me about the first night I saw him. The night I watched him in a dark, hazy bar but went home with Chad instead. He admitted he’d thought about asking me out then. But he just watched me all night. Even when Chad approached me just before last call.

  I’m glad he didn’t hesitate to help me when I was sitting on the bench outside the pharmacy. He may not have asked me out, but whatever he said certainly made a good impression. I remember laughing, even though I was freaking out in my head, unable to see, in a weird place, with no one around that I knew, and no way to get ahold of anyone, or to get home.

  Even then, Walker made me feel safe.

  After coming back into the kitchen, Walker fills the bowl with a jug of water we brought with us, so it would be room temperature. He explains to Reese how to treat it, since town water will kill the fish. Plopping the bag with the betta fish into the almost filled bowl, he sneaks a kiss onto my lips before disappearing again.

  Over Zeke’s excited voice at seeing his pretty new fish, Reese asks about our plans for Thursday. “What time should we get there? And what should I bring? I can’t show up empty handed.”

  “Get there any time after noon. We’re gonna try to eat at two. If you want to bring a pie, that would be awesome. My request to have off Wednesday was denied, so I won’t be able to bake any desserts.”

  “And you’re sure you wanna have Thanksgiving at your place? I mean, our family and yours? There’s gonna be a lot of people in that little house.”

  “I’m sure. I’ve never gotten to host Thanksgiving for more than just me and my
siblings before. Our house is going to be filled with people, food, love, and happiness. Plus, Callie can’t wait to see Zeke and Finn again.”

  Reese smiles, watching me with Finn. “I have a lot to be thankful for this year,” she whispers. I know she’s thinking about the adoption process she and Steve are going through with Zeke. And how I helped make that happen.

  I think about Walker and Reese and these beautiful boys. About our little house, the future we’re planning, and the present we’re living. About the past and how Kane showed me how to work through my emotions in a healthy way. About the fact that I have a sister-in-law and my brother is successful and happy. About the fact that my sister is out there, on her own, working and living and being an amazing person.

  I made new friends, I changed, I learned how to love, and how to forgive.

  This year held nothing but surprises for me. But knowing where I’m ending up now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

  “So, do I, Reese. So, do I.”

  Walker’s Epilogue

  January

  Genny: Will you meet me downtown after work?

  Wondering what my sweet girl is up to now, I reply that I will. She must’ve sent the text on her lunch break. I’m just getting out of work and instead of heading around town to our humble little abode, I turn into it. Checking my phone again as I sit at a red light, I find another text from her.

  Genny: I’m parked in front of the courthouse.

  I start looking for a parking spot as I drive down the main street. It’s a crazy time of day, kids getting out of school, people getting out of work, stopping downtown for whatever they might need before going home for the night. It’s the end of January. Christmas season is over, which means work is slowing down. I’m thankful for the change of pace, but I’m even more thankful for the time off I was granted next week.

  Genny and I are both taking some time off together starting this Friday and lasting all through next week. We told everyone we plan on turning up the heat and spending the entire time naked, so they’d all better stay away. Not everyone believed us, but I swear to God if anyone shows up without an invitation, they’re going to get an eyeful.