by Conn, Claudy
I opened the door and yelled, “Are you ready for me, baby?”
I stood in place, unable to move, and closed my robe as quickly as I could while a matching pair of blue eyes stared back at me with utter shock.
“Hashtag, your sister’s hot. Hashtag, is she into girls?” was uttered by the strange looking purple haired girl that was standing next to my little sister Ruby, who was rolling her eyes at me with embarrassment.
“Ewww, grrrosss.” She made a gagging sound. “I’m assuming you’re waiting for some guy. I hope you know him and don’t randomly answer the front door, sharing your nasty business for the whole neighborhood to see. By the way, you should probably trim your bikini area.” Ruby shivered and pushed me out of the way and walked into the living room and dropped her bag.
I waited for the weirdo that was with her to come in and I shut the door behind her quickly.
“I thought you weren’t coming and yeah, I was expecting someone. He should be here any minute.” I felt the stranger’s eyes ogling me with satisfaction as I tightened my robe.
“You don’t have to close that for me, Honey. Hashtag, I likey.” She looked me up a down while standing in front of me and I couldn’t help but to blanch at her remark. Not that I have anything against lesbians, but she’s staring at me like I’m nothing but a piece of meat. “Ruby, would you care to introduce me to your…. Strange… little friend here?” Ruby looked around the room and I knew she was seeing if anything has changed, like she has every visit since our parents died and after she went away to college. Ruby waved towards her friend. ”Gemma, meet Willow, Willow, my sister, Gemma.”
Willow extended her hand out to me. ”Hashtag, I’m single. You never did answer my question.” I arched a brow at her in question. “Hashtag, are you single and hashtag, you‘re hotter than your sister.”
I shook her hand quickly, but noticed the jealous look come across Ruby’s face as she glared at her friend. Girlfriend maybe? That would be a first because as far as I knew, Ruby has always been into guys. Hopefully she is just experimenting because this girl is as weird as they come.
“Where’s Onyx and Blue?” Ruby asked as she walked to the fridge to grab a bottle of water and took a drink from it. She handed Willow one, but she waved her away.
“You have anything stronger than water? This is a holiday after all and I would love a beer if you have one.”
Ruby let out a sigh and put the water bottle back in the fridge and grabbed a beer and handed it to Willow.
“Here, how about you take it and go wait in my bedroom for me there. I need to talk to my sister.”
Willow glared at Ruby and then glanced towards me and I didn’t miss the scathing look coming from her as she checked me out from the bottom of my feet and to the top of my head.
“Hashtag, I’m seeing someone and he’s a guy. Good night, Willow. Nice to have met you.” I answered before she could ask me again.
While we waited for Willow to leave the room, I could see a worried frown come up on Ruby’s face and I closed the gap between us and enveloped her into my arms.
“I’m so glad you made it. I wasn’t sure you were going to show. I’ve missed you so much.”
I could see a pool of tears forming in her eyes as she nodded in agreement.
“I’ve missed you, too.”
We both sat down together on the couch and were facing each other with our knees touching while I grabbed her hands and held them in mine. “What’s wrong, Ruby Red, and,” I looked behind her, “are you dating Queen Hashtag? I didn’t realize that you were into girls.” I let her know with my eyes that there was no judgement and was hoping that she would open up to me.
“We’ve been fooling around, ya know, experimenting in college, but as you can obviously see, she couldn’t stay faithful to a tree. Pun intended.” She giggled with a blush. “I wouldn’t stay with anyone that flirted with one of my siblings like she just did you. Trust me, she’ll be flirting hard core with Onyx tomorrow. She’s… different, I guess you could say.”
”Then why did you bring her?” I was curious.
“She’s actually fun to be around and it beats making the two hour drive by myself with nothing but the radio on. Plus, she doesn’t get along with her family and didn’t have anywhere to go for Thanksgiving, so I asked her to tag along.” She crinkled her nose and frowned. “I’m starting to see why she doesn’t get along with them, but we were friends first, before we started fooling around, so I can’t just drop her because she’s an asshole.”
I have always loved my little sister’s genuine sweet heart and as much I disliked her friend, I will still treat kindly. Onyx is the one I’m worried about, but hopefully he won’t be an asshole towards her tomorrow, but if Willow does start flirting with Onyx, Monica will deck her to shut her up.
“Sounds like tomorrow will be a little interesting.” I raised my brow. “Especially since Onyx and Monica seem to be fooling around and she’s in bed with him right now. If Willow flirts with our brother, you may be driving her home with a black eye if she doesn’t watch her mouth.” I said with a warning glare as her eyes bugged out in surprise.
“Seriously? When did this happen and all I’ve got to say is that it’s about damn time. He’s been crazy about her for years.”
“He has?” I shook my head at her. “But, he’s a man whore and will screw whatever walks and she’s my best friend and I’m not too crazy about it. One of them is going to get hurt.”
She narrowed her eyes at me and grinned. “Your best friend will screw anything that walks as well. Maybe they were hiding their feelings for each other all these years because they were supposed to end up together.”
I leaned back and thought about her words and maybe Ruby is right. How did I miss how my brother felt about my best friend?
“For years? Did he tell you that?” I couldn’t believe that my brother hadn’t confided in me because we’ve always been close.
“Gemma, you’re such a prude when it comes to sex. You made Brett wait until you were engaged after dating for six months before you would let him pop your cherry.” She shook her head at me. “No wonder our brother didn’t feel comfortable talking to you about his feelings for your best friend. Not that he has talked to me about it, but I’ve seen the way he has been watching Monica for years, anyone could see it.” She stared at the coffee table and grinned at me. “Speaking of being a prude, who’s the wine for and who should be ready for that naked body of yours under that robe?”
“Uh…” I looked away. “Now you’re making me feel like the younger sister.” I whispered.
“What can I say? I’m a free spirit and I don’t look at sex in the same way that you do.” She admitted nonchalantly.
I was offended by her statement because I’m only five years older than her, not fifty.
“How do I look at sex?”
“Like it’s some sort of fairy tale. You’re looking for your soul mate, who will whisper romantic bullshit into your ears and someone who looks like a knight in shining armor. You want a prince who’s willing to whisk you off to some Cinderella kingdom that you’ve pictured in your mind. You have to be in love with someone before you can have sex with them.”
“I do not look at sex like that, anymore. You’d be surprised by how I’ve been lately.” I winked and let out a giggle.
She leaned up in her seat. “Oh, do tell. Does this happen to have anything to do with the guy you’re waiting for? Is he the same guy that tracked Brett down and found the ring and helped you uncover the millions that Mom and Dad had stashed away?” she asked with a knowing look.
“I wanted to tell you everything that had been going on.” I let out a little whine that my brothers beat me at giving my only sister the latest family news. “Are you sure that Blue and Onyx are our brothers and not our sisters? Geez, they gossip more than we do.” I rolled my eyes at her as she giggled.
“Don’t change the subject. Is he hot? Onyx told me that he’s a soulless red h
ead and that you two had a one night stand.” I let out a gasp that she knew about that. “I didn’t believe him,” she waved at the coffee table, “but I do now. I’m shocked, but happy for you if he’s the reason for that glow on your cheeks.” She opened my robe and felt my stomach. “You’re not pregnant are you?” She let out a laugh as I pushed her hand away.
“I’m not pregnant and you’ll meet him tomorrow or soon if he ever shows up.” I glanced at the front door, willing Flynn with my mind to arrive and knock on the door. I turned back around to her. “It sounds like you’re all caught up with my life so how’s school?”
She let out a sigh. “It’s going.”
“It’s going?” I arched a brow at her as she let out another sigh.
“I miss home. I hate being two hours away from all of you and I’ve really been missing Mom and Dad, like I always do around the holidays, and I only told you I wasn’t coming home because the holidays just aren’t the same anymore, but Willow doesn’t even talk to her parents and I’d give anything to just have five minutes with mine and you and the guys are the only family I have and… agh.” The tears that she was trying to hold back slid down her cheeks and I pulled her closer to me and started caressing her back as she sobbed against my chest.
“Ruby, do you want to move back home? After the semester is over?”
She nodded her head against my chest as I pulled her closer to me. I knew that it took everything she had to admit it to me, because we had butted heads about her moving so far away for college. I had told her that I didn’t think it was a good idea, because I knew that she would miss everyone, but I had to let her learn how to fly with her own wings when she was old enough to leave the nest.
I felt her body tense up and I knew that she had to tell me something else and I prepared myself for the worst possible scenario. Is she pregnant? Not that it would be terrible because a baby would be innocent, but seeing as how her current love interest is a woman, I am assuming that’s not the case. Is she drinking too much? Drugs? Prostitution? Oh God, please don’t tell me my little sister has been prostituting herself.
She raised her head up and looked me in the eyes and I could see the blonde haired five year old version of her playing with her Barbie dolls and running to me bawling her head off because she had accidently pulled the head off of her Barbie when she was brushing its hair and begged me to fix it before our mother found it because she just knew she would be in trouble. After I fixed her doll and she saw that it was all right, she grinned and went back to playing in her room, but Mom and I got a great laugh out of it and her concern over a punishment that never would have happened because she’s always been such a sweetheart and rarely got into trouble growing up.
I didn’t care what she was about to tell me, I could handle it, because I had to because she needed me to be the mom to her right now and our mother would have told her that no matter what it is, everything will be all right so I waited and brushed her hair back out of her tear ridden face and waited for her to speak.
“I’ve already packed my car and signed myself out for this semester because I’m failing all of my classes.” She blushed and looked away quickly.
“Okay.” I said quietly without any judgement.
She rose up in shock with her mouth hanging wide open.
“That’s it? All you have to say to that is, okay? You’re not going to yell at me about how I’ve wasted a whole semester’s tuition and ask why or what the hell am I thinking? I’ve always made straight A’s and this isn’t like me at all.”
I shrugged my shoulders at her.
“It sounds like you were beating yourself up about it already. You don’t need me to start in on you. I do have one question, though. Make that two.”
“I’m not pregnant.” She replied.
“Okay, one question.” I let out the breath that I was holding and grinned at her, thankful that she wasn’t pregnant. She narrowed her eyes at me with curiosity so I continued. “Please tell me that Willow isn’t flunking out as well and she’s not moving in with you, here.” I held my breath again because I couldn’t handle being around that crazy little bitch for more than a couple of days, if that long.
Ruby laughed and shook her head.
“No. She’s going back to school, but she’s taking the bus back and will be leaving Sunday. Maybe sooner if I can’t handle her for the next few days. She’s already driving me nuts with the whole Hashtag bullshit.” She gave me a look of disgust and I couldn’t help but to throw my arms around her and hug her again.
“Then welcome home Ruby Red. It’s great to have you back.”
“Thank you, Gemma. I’ll enroll for the spring semester here locally, like I should have in the first place and I’ll help in the store so feel free to fill me out a time card. I’ll even work Black Friday this year.”
I laughed because Ruby has always complained about having to work Black Friday ever since she was a kid.
“No, this year your job is to keep Willow out of our hair. The last thing any of us need is her running around down there and Hashtagging everyone with her crazy talk. She’ll run off all of our loyal customers.”
She let out a groan and nodded her head.
“You’re right. Maybe I can just duct tape her into a chair and leave her upstairs for the day.”
I nodded in agreement and we both started giggling and tried to picture it. We stayed up talking for a few more minutes, but we both started yawning and agreed that it was time to turn in since we had to get up early in the morning to get dinner on the table.
Just when I had finally given up on Flynn returning, and had turned all of the lights off in the house, I heard a knock at the door and I felt my heart skip a beat with excitement, but I didn’t feel like opening the door the way I had planned so I kept my robe closed when I reached the door and opened it.
“Why do you not look happy to see me?” Flynn asked with a half-grin on his face.
I let out a yawn and grabbed his hand and pulled him inside and shut and locked the front door.
“I was expecting you hours ago and I’m too tired to seduce you now. I guess we will only be sleeping after all.”
He followed me to my bedroom and shut the door when he entered. I turned around and stared at him as I pulled my robe off and let it fall to the ground and I didn’t miss the bulge in his pants as soon as he laid his eyes on me. I smirked at him and shook my head.
“I sleep in the nude. I hope that’s not going to be a problem for you.”
I pulled the covers back on my bed and crawled in and faced the wall and waited for him to crawl into bed with me and after what felt like forever and a day, he slowly crept into my bed and lay on his back.
As soon as I could tell that he wasn’t going anywhere, I turned around and moved over next to him and rested my head in the crook of his arm, grabbed his arm that was next to me and placed it over my hip. I wrapped my arm around the middle of his stomach and caressed him there for a few minutes and started falling asleep.
The last thing I heard come from his lips, before I fell into a deep sleep, put a grin on my face.
“This is torture, pure torture.” He whispered as he pulled me tighter.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
I had planned on having everything ready for dinner by noon, but thanks to my cuddle buddy of the night, I overslept. I must say, I have never slept so well in my life and having Flynn next to me, made me feel safe and cared for and it was amazing to roll over and have his body follow mine with his arms and legs wrapped around me, giving me butterflies first thing in the morning.
If I would have had time, I would have tortured him in his sleep and had my way with him, but the Thanksgiving turkey was calling and someone had to put the damn thing in the oven because I knew no one else would.
Flynn has been a big help and has stayed beside me since I walked into the kitchen. I was impressed when he peeled the potatoes after he asked if I needed any help and when he requested for me to make devile
d eggs, he boiled the eggs and separated the yolks for me and cleaned the kitchen while I prepared them.
During our third round of dishes, he leaned down and whispered into my ear.
“You snore when you’re sleeping.”
“I do not.” I argued and splashed water in his face.
He grabbed a towel and wiped the water from his face and grinned, showing those devilish dimples of his.
“You do. Not a loud snore, but it’s a snore. It’s kinda cute.”
“What’s kinda cute?” Ruby asked, as she walked into the kitchen with a smirk on her face.
I shook my head with reluctance when I saw Willow standing behind her. That girl is already driving everyone crazy and it’s taking everything for everyone to not tell her to shut the hell up.
“She is kinda hot, huh? Hashtag, I’d jump her bones. Hashtag, you’d be an idiot if you haven’t yet.” Willow winked at Flynn.
“A gentleman never kisses and tells, Willow.” Flynn grinned fully, showing his pearly whites.
I rinsed the last pot that I had cleaned and dried it with the towel and handed it to Ruby.
“Finish the potato’s please, I need to go talk to Flynn.”
I grabbed his hand and pulled him down the hallway and into my bedroom. I shut the door and locked it and dragged him through the bathroom and into the huge closet.
A few months after my parents had died, I moved into their master bedroom and when I have moments of missing them, I would lay in here and inhale the cologne from their clothes. After months of that and to pull myself out of my deep depression, I separated their clothes between all of us and donated most of it to charity.
I still like to hang out in here though and listen to my music, because once the door is shut, you can’t hear anything coming out of the huge room and I’ve always wanted to make out on top of the big wooden island in the middle of the room, but I never had anyone to make out with, until now.
I climbed up on top of the island, that is definitely strong enough to hold both of us, and crawled to the middle of it and motioned with my finger for him to join me.