All In

by Amy DeMeritt

  “I’m an insurance agent and I also guest sing for my uncle’s band sometimes.”

  “Really? What kind of music do you like to sing?”

  “I like to sing just about everything. But my uncle’s band plays mostly rock, folk, and country.”

  “Nice. Have you ever performed at Hendrick’s down the street?”

  “I have not, but they perform there every Thursday night. Now that you ask, I’m very curious to know why he has never asked me to sing there before. I’m guessing that’s your favorite bar?”

  “I usually go once a week. Its main clientele is first responders – police, firefighters, and sometimes EMTs. I’m not much into the bar scene, but it’s good for bonding and morale to go hang out with the crew outside of work on a regular basis. The food is pretty decent, so that’s a bonus.”

  Skylar smiles as she kisses Ember on the head, and asks, “If I get on the roster this Thursday night, would you come see me perform?”

  “Sure, sounds like fun. As long as I’m not caught up responding to a fire alarm, I should be able to get there around seven.”

  “Since I failed to bring you muffins, can I buy you a beer, Lieutenant?”

  Ashton nods. “Sure, you can buy me a beer.”

  Chapter Ten

  “Fuck!”

  Ashton sucks harder on Erin’s clit while she glides three fingers in and out of her at a slow, firm pace, causing her to scream and writhe on the bed. Her panting breaths strangle her moans, causing her to sound like she’s in a desperate situation – desperate for release, the release Ashton has been selfishly delaying so she can enjoy the uncontrolled sounds and spasms of her girlfriend for as long as possible. But after forty minutes of making love in various positions and using every technique that Erin loves, and while keeping Erin right on the brink, Ashton finally pushes her over the edge, allowing Erin to orgasm. Her body thrashes as she screams in ecstasy.

  “No more. Oh, fuck, baby, I can’t breathe.”

  Erin tugs on Ashton’s ears to pull her head out from between her thighs, making Ashton laugh a little. She climbs up her body, giving her light kisses on her stomach and breasts, and lays down on top of her.

  “Ash.” She lazily caresses her cheeks and through her short hair. “What are you trying to do to me? Oh, god, I can’t move.”

  Ashton gives her light kisses on her lips, cheeks, and neck. She traces the tip of her tongue across her jawline to her ear and envelops her earlobe to give it a gentle tug with her teeth, eliciting a whimpering moan from Erin.

  “Baby, what are you doing? You’re going to get me worked up again. Don’t we have to leave soon?”

  “We don’t have to do anything.” Erin groans as Ashton grinds her hips down, sparking the nerves between her thighs. “Tell me if you want me to stop. Tell me if you’d rather go to the bar.”

  Her head lolls as her lungs fill with a sharp breath and her body spasms. She paws at Ashton’s back and ass for support, just trying to get a grip of something as her mind becomes cloudy and her veins rush with pleasure inducing chemicals.

  “Ash… fuck…”

  “This is what you want, isn’t it? You want me to make love to you till you forget what year it is.”

  “Make me forget my own name.”

  “Okay, I’ve been patient enough. Get the hell out of bed.”

  Erin shrieks in shock, and Ashton quickly grabs the sheet and blanket to cover them as she screams, “Gloria! What the hell are you doing here?”

  Gloria grins in a proud, amused way as she walks into the room to lean against the wall next to the side of the bed. “I decided I want to come with you to see this girl sing.”

  “How long have you been here?”

  “Awhile. Now, get up. I’m hungry. And listening to you two made me horny. So, unless you want me to join you, we need to go.”

  Erin scoffs as she rolls her eyes. “Yeah, like you’d ever really do that. Get out so we can get dressed. And next time, call or text first.”

  “Excuse me? This is not your apartment. I can come and go whenever I want.”

  Ashton growls in frustration and throws a pillow at Gloria. “Woman, get the hell out of my bedroom. And seriously, have a bit more respect. Just walking in here like this while we’re having sex is just fucked up on so many levels.”

  “Don’t be so dramatic. You act like I haven’t seen it all before. And since when have either of you cared that you’re off fucking while I or someone else is impatiently waiting for you to get your faces out of each other’s pussies? Hurry up.”

  Without waiting for a response, Gloria walks out of the bedroom. Erin exhales hard as she grips Ashton’s shoulders, and whispers, “You should fuck me again just to piss her off.”

  Ashton smiles as she lifts her hips and slips a hand between Erin’s thighs. Erin gasps in pleasure and thrusts a hand between Ashton’s slick covered folds. Their mouths crash together in a wild kiss as their hips rock against each other’s hands.

  As both of them cum loudly within moments of each other, Gloria screams out, “Bitches!” making both of them laugh breathlessly against each other’s necks.

  “I can’t believe she actually said she was going to join us.”

  Ashton exhales hard as she sits up and shakes her head, saying, “She only said that because she thinks you would be so completely repulsed by the idea that you would immediately follow her command and get out of bed.”

  Erin licks her dry lips and wipes a few beads of sweat off of Ashton’s temples. “Is that how she sees me – do I repulse her?”

  “No, she just doesn’t trust that you’re going to stick around long enough for me to wed you.”

  “And what do you think?”

  “I think we’re perfect together and the only reason we won’t make it is if we allow external factors to tear us apart again.”

  “How pissed do you think she’ll be when we prove her wrong?”

  Ashton laughs hard and playfully bites Erin’s chin. “She better not be pissed at all. Come on, babe.”

  They take a quick shower to wash the sweat and smell of sex off of them, then get dressed. As Ashton is tying the laces of her boat shoes, Gloria walks back into the bedroom and sits in a chair next to the window.

  “Just so you know, you’re fifteen minutes late for your date with your fangirl.”

  “Don’t call her that. She’s a nice girl.”

  “I’m sure. You should change that shirt. It doesn’t match your shoes.”

  Ashton looks down at her muted navy-blue short sleeve button-up collared shirt and her camel tone leather boat shoes, then looks between Erin and Gloria, asking, “Why don’t I match? I thought navy and tan go together?”

  “I think you look nice.”

  Gloria rolls her eyes as she stands up and walks to Ashton’s closet, saying, “That’s because neither of you have the best fashion sense. That top is business casual, while those shoes are just casual. It has nothing to do with the color. Here, put this one on.”

  She holds out a heathered army-green V-neck tee shirt with ribbed shoulders and buttoned cuffed short sleeves. It’s actually one of Ashton’s favorite shirts, but she was trying to look a bit nicer tonight.

  “You don’t think that’s too casual?”

  With a quirked eyebrow and a grin, Gloria asks, in an accusatory way, “Who you dressing for, baby?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “It’s Hendrick’s. You normally go there in jeans and a tee. What is so special about tonight? Are you trying to impress your little fangirl?”

  Ashton snatches the shirt out of Gloria’s hand and tosses it on the bed. She strips out of the button-up shirt and pulls the tee shirt on.

  “Here, hang that back up. You better be nice tonight. That girl went through hell last week.”

  As Gloria puts the shirt on a hanger and smooths the fabric out, she says, a bit motherly, “I don’t believe my questions actually had anything to do with her.” She t
urns to face Ashton with her hands on her hips. “I’m just checking in to see where your head is. Are you dressing for your girlfriend or for the pretty young woman who thinks you’re hot?”

  Erin’s frustration with Gloria suddenly turns to insecurity and ice skitters down her spine. When Ashton told her about her day with Skylar and how she complimented both of them, she just thought it was cute. But if anyone knows Ashton better than she does, it would be Gloria. If Gloria is accusing her of having an interest in Skylar, it raises a need to take pause and consider if Ashton is really as “all-in” as she claims she is.

  “I was trying to look nice for Erin. If you hadn’t barged in here demanding we get out of bed to go to the bar, I would have been more than happy to stay in bed with her all night. Then I would have ordered us some Chinese food to eat on the couch while we watched a movie. Then we’d take a couple of beers and our fortune cookies out to the balcony to open together while we listen to Mr. Russel play his piano. We would have laughed about the cryptic fortunes and come up with silly life scenarios of what’s going to happen to both of us now that we opened the cookies. That is where my mind is – on Erin and our relationship.”

  Feeling immensely guilty for doubting her and feeling moved by the beautiful night Ashton envisioned for them, Erin grabs her shoulders to spin her around and pulls her into a passionate kiss. Ashton inhales deeply as she grabs the back of Erin’s thighs and lifts her up to wrap her legs around her waist.

  “For fucks sake, Ashton Maria Hyland, put her down. I get it, you’re hot for your girlfriend. Let’s go. I’m hungry and thirsty.”

  Ashton pulls away from the kiss, but before she sets Erin down, she firmly says, “Only if you apologize for being mean.”

  “I was not being mean and I resent you for saying that. I am only looking out for you and you know it.”

  “No, you’re pulling shit out of your ass and casting doubts on the health of our relationship unnecessarily.”

  “Unnecessarily? Let’s review the facts.” She holds up her hands and holds out one finger, saying, “First, the girl thought she was going to die. Then, like an angel, you walk out of a blazing wall of fire and pick her up in your arms. Room after room, the ceiling was falling down, blocking your escape attempts and forcing you to burrow your way to the basement, then back up at the other end of the building. Most people would have just died in that situation, thinking there were no options, yet you still got her out of there alive. You saved the girl’s life, Ashton. You’re her hero. Then, when she comes to thank you, she finds a very sexy silver-fox with a lovable personality and a smile that makes a person feel like they’re being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold night. Then she sees your hot girlfriend and how desirable you are to her. Then she invites you out to come hear her sing, like a fucking siren calling out to sailors and putting them under a spell, making them crash their boats against rocky shores. So, do you still think it’s unnecessary for me to rein you in and make sure you don’t allow yourself to get sucked into the charm of a girl half your age?” Gloria waits for an answer, but Ashton doesn’t have one. “Your silence is enough to validate my concerns. I’m not accusing you of anything, Ash, but I don’t want you to be blindsided again. You’ve been down this road before – with women taking their gratitude too far.”

  “Is that why you’re really coming tonight, to make sure I don’t crash my boat?”

  “I want you to be happy, Ash. Everything I do is to make sure you are. So, stop acting pissy with me and take us to dinner already.”

  “Fine.” Gloria folds her arms over her chest and gives Ashton a perturbed, impatient smirk with her eyebrows raised slightly. “What? I said, fine. Let’s go eat.”

  “You wanted me to apologize for being mean, when I’m the one doing you a favor. You should have much more to say to me right now.”

  Ashton groans as she sets Erin down. She walks a couple of paces, taking a deep loud breath and pulls Gloria into her arms. “Woman, you drive me crazy.”

  “That is not an apology.”

  “You walked in on us having sex and didn’t apologize.”

  Gloria grins as she wraps her arms around the back of Ashton’s neck. She lightly kisses her lips, and coos, “Apples and oranges, honey. I only walked in here to hold you to your obligation. Which, you are now almost an hour late for. Again, I was trying to help you out and you are twisting it into something malicious.”

  “You really drive me crazy with your logic sometimes. I’m not apologizing.”

  “Neither am I.”

  “Fine, then let’s go before you drive me crazy enough to toss you in the shower and ruin your hair and makeup.”

  “For threatening that again, you’re buying me dinner.”

  “Jokes on you because I was already planning on paying tonight.”

  Gloria smiles brightly as she perks up on her toes and kisses her lips. “Thank you, honey.”

  ***

  As they walk into Hendrick’s, Ashton’s eyes go straight past the bar and tables to the small stage at the other end of the pub. Her stomach drops with regret – Skylar’s not on the stage with the band.

  “Hey! Lieutenant!”

  Ashton smiles as she returns waves and greetings from firefighters and police officers on all sides of them. But the exchanges only leave her feeling even worse. Gloria was right – she made a commitment to be here tonight at seven, not after eight. Had Gloria not barged into her bedroom, she was content to not show up at all – which makes her feel even worse. She’s not a flaky person. She’s well known for being dependable and true to her word. But for some reason, every time she’s in a relationship with Erin, her hormones cloud her judgement – it becomes too easy to blow off everyone and everything else just to be with Erin. She treats every time with Erin as if it could be the last and she doesn’t know if it’s because of how many times they’ve broken up or because of how dangerous her job is.

  Ashton and Erin normally sit at the bar or close to the bar to be nearer to their friends and colleagues, but Gloria leads them to the further end of the restaurant to get a table close to the stage.

  Ashton pulls two chairs out for them at the square table, and as she’s pulling out her own chair, she does another scan of the pub, looking for Skylar. She exhales hard and rubs the back of her neck. She’s nowhere in sight. She sits down, and as she looks up at the stage, a flutter of joy erupts in her stomach and her face spreads into a wide smile of relief. Skylar is standing in the doorway just off to the side of the stage looking right at Ashton with a beautiful smile. She scoots her chair back and quickly stands just as Skylar reaches the side of their table.

  “I’m sorry we’re so late. It’s completely my fault. Did we already miss you perform?”

  “It’s okay.” Skylar leans in to hug her and Ashton doesn’t even think twice to fully embrace her with a tight hug, wrapping both arms around her so Skylar’s ribs sit cupped in Ashton’s hands and her body is held flush against hers. “You didn’t miss anything yet. Thank you for coming.”

  “Good evening, ladies.”

  Ashton quickly releases Skylar – too quickly – earning her an amused grin from Skylar and an accusatory eyebrow quirk from Gloria. Sheila pretends not to notice the tension Ashton is feeling, but Erin looks a bit sympathetic for her.

  Erin understands Ashton is feeling like a failure – like she let Skylar down. She knows Ashton only hugged her so intimately to try to make up for how disappointed she is in herself. But she can tell Gloria’s words are stuck in Ashton’s head and she doesn’t want to appear like she’s trying to make a move on the young woman. Erin understands completely, but she doesn’t know how to make Ashton feel less awkward without drawing even more attention to the situation.

  Thankfully for all of them, Sheila knows exactly how to take the attention off of the awkward situation, and she does just that by asking, “What can I get you all to drink?”

  “Uh, here, join us till you have to go on stage?” Ashton
pulls the fourth chair out at the table, and Skylar sits down without hesitation. “Order whatever you want. Did you already have dinner?”

  Skylar smiles as she tucks her long silky caramel hair behind her ear. “I ate pretty early, but I’m getting hungry again. I probably shouldn’t eat till after I perform. I don’t want to be on stage with lettuce in my teeth.”

  With a small laugh Ashton nods. “I understand. How about a drink?”

  “Sure, I’ll have a pale ale, please. Whatever you have on tap is fine.”

  “Same as Ashton.” Gloria tilts her head as she appraises Skylar, then looks up at Sheila, and adds, “I’ll have two shots of tequila, lime wedges, and an unsweetened iced tea.”

  “Sure. And for you, Erin?”

  “Lemonade with Jack, please.”

  “Any appetizers?”

  “How about some fried pickles?” Ashton glares at Gloria, making her release a small laugh and lick her lips in a smug way. “I only kid. How about we get the sampler?”

  “That’s fine with me.” Erin nudges Ashton’s arm, asking, “Babe, is that okay with you?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “Okay, I’ll be back soon with your drinks.”

  After Sheila walks away, Gloria tilts her head to look at Skylar then looks back at Ashton again with a meaningful nod.

  Ashton clears her throat and motions to Gloria, saying, “Skylar, this is Gloria, my best friend.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. And no worries, I didn’t take offense to your implication that I’ll be so terrible you’ll need to throw fried pickles at me.”

  Ashton’s blood drains from her head, causing her to feel dizzy. Gloria, on the other hand, is grinning ear to ear.

  “You know about that, huh?”

  “The pickle throwing at Hendrick’s is pretty infamous among the local bands. It’s still not as bad as the reputation Slinky’s has though.”

  “Slinky’s has a reputation for many things, honey. Please tell me you do not go there.”

  Skylar laughs a little as her cheeks lightly blush. “I think going to Slinky’s once is a sort of rite of passage into adulthood. At least, that’s what friends said after I turned twenty-one.” She laughs again and momentarily plays with the loosely curled hair hanging over her right shoulder. “I’ve only been there once and will never go again. I honestly don’t know how the place is still open.”