Pants On Fire

by Lacey Black

  “Sounds…interesting.” Interesting? Not really, but it’s her home, so what do you say? I think being on top of your neighbors sounds like a nightmare, personally, but I’m not about to tell her that.

  She chuckles again, but it lacks humor. It sounds almost…sad. “Yeah.” Then her eyes light up and she reaches for her phone. “Come on, let’s go take a selfie!”

  Cricket tugs on my hand and maneuvers us to an open spot in front of the Bean. She turns her camera to take the picture and stands in front of me. I wrap my arms around her shoulders and pull her into my chest, my chin hitting just above her ear. We both smile at the camera as she takes a few photos. I move, angling my head down and placing my lips just above her right eye. I close my eyes, savoring the feel of her body against mine, the way it seems to have been made just for me, and the taste of her soft skin.

  I’m going to miss this when she’s gone.

  She slides her phone back in her bag and turns in my arms so she’s facing me. There’s so much I want to say. I want to tell her that these last few days have been the best of my life. That her throwing herself at me as my pretend girlfriend is something I’ll never forget. That the thought of her getting on a plane Friday and flying away makes me want to throw up.

  But I don’t say any of those things.

  Instead, I just hold her against my chest and let my mind venture into “what if.” What if she stayed? What if I went to San Francisco? What if we really gave this whole relationship thing a shot? I want more than just a week, more than just phone calls and text messages.

  I want her in my life.

  And not as my friend.

  When I glance down, I almost confess everything. I almost tell her she’s quickly becoming my whole word, that she’s everything I didn’t even know I wanted.

  But I don’t say it.

  I can’t.

  There’s no way to make this work when we’re so far apart. Our lives are leading us in two different directions, and that realization is startlingly sad.

  So, instead of asking her to give us a real shot, I ask, “What do you want to see now?”

  Her eyes flash a sorrow that I almost miss, but it was there. It’s quickly replaced with something lighter and happier, a grin that makes my cock spring to life. “How about the inside of our hotel room?”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Cricket

  “This is where you live?” I whisper, taking in the cabin nestled in the hills of the Smoky Mountains.

  “This is home,” he says, getting out of the passenger seat and back at where I stand.

  When we landed at the airport, Rueben’s brother, Royce, was there to pick us up. I had never met his older brother, since he was already in the military when we graduated college, but I had heard enough stories about him it felt natural and comfortable to be in his company. The brothers teased each other mercilessly, and I didn’t miss the way Royce looked at his brother, the question and shock in his handsome face, as we stepped off the plane together.

  “It’s gorgeous,” I say, in awe over the view.

  “Wait until you see the deck,” Royce says, collecting our bags from the back of his four-wheel drive SUV.

  Rueben grabs my suitcase and wheels it toward the front door. I join him, taking in everything around me, from the pair of white wooden rocking chairs on the porch to the flower boxes hanging from the railing, as he unlocks the door and pushes it open for me to enter first.

  When I step inside, air catches in my throat. It’s…beautiful. And not in a feminine, pretty way, but in a rustic, gorgeous way. The living room is straight ahead with a comfortable brown couch and recliner. There’s a fireplace with stunning stonework around it adorning one wall, and a sliding glass door off to the side.

  “Come on, I’ll give you a tour,” he says, dropping the bags at the front door.

  “I’m going to head out. I’ll text ya later,” Royce says, clearly trying to give us privacy, yet wanting his brother to know there will be a conversation about my presence here.

  “It was nice to meet you, Royce,” I holler over my shoulder, my eyes sweeping from floor to ceiling.

  “Nice to meet you too, Cricket.” And then he’s gone.

  “Rueben,” I whisper, taking in the spiral staircase that leads upstairs.

  I can hear the smile in his voice as he says, “Come on, Crick. Let’s start up here.”

  Taking my hand in his, he leads me to the staircase. “I bet this made moving in a little complicated,” I say, my hand running along the smooth wooden handrailing.

  “There’s actually another set of stairs in the back of the house that doesn’t spiral. We used those to move me in,” he says.

  When we reach the landing, there’s a huge floor-to-ceiling window directly in front of us that looks out over the mountains. This view is breathtaking. I could see myself waking up every morning and standing right here in this very spot, enjoying the spectacular display of nature while enjoying a cup of coffee.

  Rueben opens the first door on the left to reveal his office. It’s a good-sized room, running the entire width of the house. The ceiling is sloped toward the center of the house, but it doesn’t feel small or cramped. There is great lighting from two skylights and a large window overlooking the spectacular view.

  The second door on the left side of the hallway is a small laundry room, which is clean and organized. He leads me to the only door on the right side, and I already have an idea of what’s beyond that doorway. Rueben pushes open the door, revealing his bedroom. The bed is a king-sized bed with dark headboard and footboard and hues of blue bedding. There’s a five-drawer dresser along one wall and a comfortable chair and table in front of the window.

  “I like to watch the sunrise and drink coffee there,” he tells me, nodding to the tan chair.

  “I bet,” I reply, loving the open, airiness of the room. Of course, the skylights and floor-to-ceiling window only enhance the view, giving it a feel that you’re floating amongst the clouds.

  “There’s a bathroom through there,” he says, pointing to one of two doorways. “The other is a closet.”

  After glancing in and taking in the complete room one last time, my eyes finally return to his. Even though I’m a little worn down from so much travel, there’s a buzz of anticipation, of exhilaration in the room. It’s thick and heavy, weighing on my chest and my heart. My legs start moving before I even process it, his arms wrapping around my shoulders and pulling me against his chest when I approach.

  We stand there for a few minutes, just drinking each other in, as if us standing there together is the most normal and natural thing ever. It sure feels like it is. I hear Rueben exhale, his warm breath blowing my hair. “Want to see the rest of the house?” he asks without making a movement.

  “Yeah,” I reply, sighing against his chest. “Show me this magical deck.”

  “My pleasure.”

  ***

  “How’s your barbecue?” Rueben asks from across the table.

  “Orgasmic,” I tell him, shoveling the last few bites of my mac and cheese into my mouth. I have no clue where I’m putting it. I was full five minutes ago, yet here I am, stuffing even more food into my face. I’m going to have to spend a lot of time on a treadmill when I get home.

  Another wave of misery sweeps through my blood as the hours slowly tick by, the minutes steadily press on without so much as a care. Every time I look at a clock, I get more and more depressed with each passing second.

  Last night, he took me out to eat at Blake Shelton’s restaurant in downtown Gatlinburg, and then we took an aerial tram up the mountain. The views were breathtaking; almost as gorgeous as the ones Rueben has from his back deck. Afterward, we came back to his place and took advantage of the hot tub until we were both relaxed, tired, and ready for bed.

  But we didn’t sleep.

  Not at first. We had our fill of each other, first with me pressed against his bedroom wall and a second time bent over the bed. Then,
and only then, did we finally pass out from exhaustion, our own bodies to the point of collapsing, despite the desire we may have felt swirling around for each other.

  Today, he took me on a tour of the town. We did a few touristy things, including buying matching T-shirts and coffee mugs. We visited the Titanic Museum and rode go-karts at an outdoor racetrack. We ate taffy and pretzels with cheese as we walked amongst the people, our hands linked whenever we could.

  Now, we’re at this hole in the wall barbecue joint with the best BBQ brisket sandwich I’ve ever had and trying to ignore the fact tonight is our final night together. “I come here a lot,” he confesses, wiping his hands on his napkin. “I’ve never had bad food.”

  “I can see why. If I lived here, I wouldn’t cook at all. The food is to die for,” I confess, patting my belly with one hand and shoving my cardboard tray away with the other. “So full.”

  Rueben chuckles and reaches for my hand. He’s been doing that all day, as if he can’t stop touching me. “Ready to head back?” he asks, tossing a few bills on the table for the tip.

  “You may have to roll me up the mountain,” I groan.

  He throws me a smirk and a wink. “You still look pretty fucking fantastic from here.” To prove his point, he takes a slow perusal, his eyes scanning me from head to toe, each second feeling like a caress.

  We head out together, and when we reach Rueben’s vehicle, he asks, “So what do you want to do tonight? More sightseeing? Maybe head to Dollywood for some rides?”

  I stop at the passenger door and turn to face him. Shaking my head, I wrap my arms around his shoulders and slide my hands along his neck. My heart hammers in my chest and emotion clogs my throat at the words he hasn’t said. What do I want to do…on my last night here.

  “I don’t want to do any of those things,” I whisper, sliding my hand up into his hair.

  Rueben pulls me flush against his body, his hard erection pressed between us. “What do you want to do?”

  “Be alone. With you,” I confess, stepping up on my tiptoes and grazing my lips along his.

  I can feel his smile. “I was hoping you’d say that. Come on.”

  Rueben lets go before the kiss can turn into something indecent and opens the passenger door. He drives quickly along the now-familiar streets, heading to his home in the mountains, my hand still in his on the console. Everything about this trip has been so unexpected. From running into him at the airport to sharing a living space for the past week. My eyes burn with unshed tears at the prospect of this all being gone tomorrow.

  When we pull into his driveway, Rueben hops out and comes around to my door. I’m getting used to this little touch of chivalry, something I wasn’t accustomed to in past relationships. He leads me into the house, stops and locks the door. He turns and frames my face with his big hands, the softest of touches that make my body ignite.

  “Go put on your swimsuit,” he tells me.

  “Umm, I don’t have a swimsuit, Ruby,” I tease him. He already knows full-well that I wore only a T-shirt last night in the hot tub.

  “Oh, that’s right. That’s okay. You look better in my T-shirt anyway,” he tells me, running his finger along my bottom lip. “Go get ready and I’ll turn on the jets.”

  Upstairs, I find another one of his shirts in his dresser. Bringing the material up to my nose, I inhale the scent of laundry detergent and Rueben’s unique smell. It’s like the scent of his skin carrying the shirts to the dresser absorbed into the material. It smells amazing, just like him.

  Just one more thing I’m going to miss come tomorrow.

  I slip into the bathroom, pull my hair up high on my head, and freshen up my lady bits, donning only Rueben’s blue tee when I return downstairs. Outside, the air holds the slightest chill as the sun drops behind the trees and darkness starts to fall. Rueben is there, wearing only his boxers and holding two glasses of wine. I take the offered drink and bring the glass to my lips. The liquid is cold and sweet, a favorite amongst white wines. I glance down, his erection very much present as he looks at me over his own glass, taking in his large shirt hanging on my smaller frame.

  “Interesting swim trunks,” I comment, sipping my drink.

  “I figured since you were going all casual, I’d do the same,” he says. Last night he threw on his trunks before hopping in the hot tub. I have to admit, I like this view much better.

  He takes my hand and helps me slide into the heated, jetted water. A moan of pure pleasure rumbles from my throat as I lean back in the seat, my body instantly relaxing in bliss. I take another sip of my wine to help cool my throat, but the moment I see Rueben take off his glasses and get in the tub, all thoughts of keeping myself cool fly right out the window.

  His hand wraps around my ankle as he gently pulls me in his direction. He takes my glass and sets it on the table beside his as I straddle his waist, my arms wrapping around his neck. The shirt I’m wearing is floating on the water, and frankly, getting in the way. So, I reach my arms up in invitation, one that Rueben quickly jumps at.

  It’s difficult to take off a soaking wet shirt, but we manage, drenching my hair and face in the process. It doesn’t matter, though. Nothing matters. Only him. Us. My lips are eager as I start the kiss, my naked body wrapped around his like a spider monkey. I grind against his hard cock, wishing he hadn’t worn those boxers into the tub.

  His hands are everywhere. My neck, my back, my breasts, and even my throbbing pussy. I’m on sensory overload right now, but I wouldn’t change it for anything, because tomorrow, these memories will be all I have left.

  “I’ve never had hot tub sex,” I tell him, my hand sliding between our wet bodies and stroking his erection through his boxers.

  He makes a choking sound, his head falling back in ecstasy. “Me either,” he confesses, lifting his head back up and locking his eyes on mine. There are a million emotions I see, but only one I latch on to: longing.

  It’s the look I’m going to miss the most.

  Our lips meet again, slow and leisurely, as we explore each other’s mouths, tasting and savoring this one perfect kiss. The tighter I hold his cock, the more urgent his lips become. He takes what he wants, devouring and controlling me with the simplest of actions. I’m not sure how long we sit there, my body wrapped around his, as we kiss. It feels like a lifetime, yet not long enough all the same.

  Gasping for sweet oxygen, my eyes are glued to his as I slowly stroke his cock from root to tip, memorizing the way his jaw tightens and his gaze burns hot like lava. He pulls me against his chest and stands up, taking a seat on the edge of the hot tub. I start to tug at his wet boxers, sliding them down to his ass and freeing his cock.

  Rueben reaches to the chair beside the hot tub and grabs his pants. While he fishes out a condom, I take a few moments to trail kisses down his neck, tasting the spiciness of his cologne and reveling in the burn of his stubble against my lips. When he sits back up, he rocks back on his ass and tugs his boxers down his legs. I take the opportunity to get the condom and rip it open.

  Slowly, I caress the soft, velvety skin over his rock-hard shaft. A throaty moan rips from his mouth as I position the protection over the head and gently slide it down, taking my time and enjoying the feel. When I reach the root and glance up, I find his eyes on me, as if he’s doing the same thing I am.

  Remembering every moment.

  Rueben holds me by my hips as I guide myself to his cock and lower myself down. There’s the familiar stretch as I accommodate his size, my body tingling in all the right places, my blood rushing through my veins. With one hand, he cradles the back of my neck almost protectively, his thumb gently stroking circles on the nape of my neck. Every hair on my body stands on end, a sizzle of desire zaps me. My body has never felt so alive.

  Our eyes meet once more as I lift my hips and slide back down, swirling my hips and grinding against his pelvis. My hands grip his shoulders, but the need to touch him everywhere is too great. I caress his arms, chest, back, and nec
k. I memorize his face with my fingers, outlining every line, every dimple, every blemish.

  My nipples scrape against his chest, sending shockwaves of lust through my extremities. I start to feel that familiar tightening deep inside me, but I fight it off. I don’t want this to end. I want to stay right here, in this moment, for as long as possible. Unfortunately, with each thrust of his hips upward, the end draws near. My body craves release. The one Rueben is promising.

  When I gaze into his eyes, he starts to blur. Words rush from my brain to my tongue but refuse to come out. Words like forever and home. Words that can bring the ultimate peace or rip me in two. I don’t even realize the first tear falls until I feel his thumb catch it on my cheek. He strokes so lightly, so gently that it makes my heart ache. He continues to caress my cheek, catching every tear and wiping them away.

  The end draws near, my release racing for the surface and ready to break free. I cling to his shoulders and hold on tightly as I explode, crying out into the dark of night. Rueben takes my lips with his, breathing new life into me as he finds his own release. My world starts to fade, but he refuses to let go. He holds on tight, swiping his lips across mine and whispering, “My Cricket.”

  This time, he’s unable to catch the tears before they fall. They come too quickly. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I draw him into me and breathe him in. I don’t ever want to forget this moment. The way the moon hangs high in the night sky. The coolness of the air as it kisses our overheated bodies. The scent of sex mixed with woodsy soap and fresh cotton fabric softener. The way we fit so perfectly together, it’s as if he were made just for me.

  The way my heart cries out to stay right here.

  With my head on his shoulder, he lifts me up and adjusts me in his arms. I could walk—and probably should walk—but it feels too right.

  Rueben turns off the jets and grabs his wallet and glasses before heading back into the house. I hear him engage the lock and turn off the light. He ascends the stairs and heads up to his room, holding me tightly against him as he goes. We make a quick pitstop to the bathroom and grab a fresh towel, drying our bodies as best we can, considering he’s still holding me.