On the Rox

by Addams, Kat

  My stomach had been growly, but I didn’t want to eat before riding the coaster of doom. I also didn’t want to see Rox hangry. My pulse quickened as I looked into the distance at the rickety railing on the track.

  “You’re stalling on that coaster, aren’t you?” She hooked her arm around mine and smirked as we waited for our food. “It’s not that bad. Plus, you’ll get the same endorphin buzz you get when you do your jogging. It’s like a runner’s high, but you don’t have to, you know … do anything, except sit on your ass and hang on for dear life.”

  “Sounds … pleasant.” I flinched. “Fine. I’ll get it over with. But so that you know, I’ve never done anything like that in my life. Thrill rides or anything other than slow and steady is just not me. I might pass out or … jizz in my pants again.”

  “Yeah, yeah. I know. You’re Mr. Safety. I promise it’s safe.”

  We took our grease on a stick and sat down at a shaded picnic table. Watching her lips circle that dippy dog brought me back to the Ferris wheel when I had been too chicken to watch. Now, I was kicking myself. Rox’s lips on my throbbing cock was a memory I would need to see over and over again—on replay. That would be good wanking material.

  I took a bite of my corn dog, wondering if I looked as sexy as she did when I ate it. I hoped not. I bit into it hard and yanked it from my mouth as if I were tearing a steak in two, finishing it in only a few quick bites. Her eyebrows furrowed as we sat in silence, watching each other. She stuck her tongue out and licked the entire corn dog’s length and winked at me. My balls vibrated as I watched her tongue expertly slide up and over and back down that meat stick.

  “You should have opened your eyes,” she said, ferociously biting into the corn dog and breaking my gaze.

  “I was thinking the same thing. I wish I had.”

  “Maybe you’ll get another chance. We have all night at Westy’s Inn.”

  “Westy’s Inn? That is the hotel? Owned by the same people?” I tapped the end of my corn dog’s stick on the table.

  “Yep. They own a diner too. Best fluffernutter around!”

  “You Americans and your crazy food terms. I don’t know what a fluffernutter is, but I hope I can do it tonight!”

  She nodded, swallowing the last of her food. “Shenanigans all day and all night. I’ll buy you a fluffernutter and then give you my version of a fluffernutter. You’ll have to hang on to something though. I’m wilder than any of these rides.”

  “Don’t I know it!”

  Her smile grew from ear to ear as she leaned over the table to kiss me. “Let’s go to the petting zoo before we ride the coaster. Not sure I want to ride The Comet after I just ate that.” She shivered, clenching her teeth. “The Vomit Comet. That’s what they call it. But we’ll be fine. It’s safe. Plus, you got your meds if motion sickness is an issue.”

  “That sounds like a terrible time, but I’m trusting you. The endorphin high is tempting. Especially since I missed my morning run.”

  “No worries. Cardio coming later.” She squeezed my arse and bit her lip.

  I couldn’t fucking wait.

  The petting zoo smelled like a petting zoo. The animals looked well enough, but the scent that lingered in the air singed my nose hairs. We entered into a tiny barn, and I almost fell over, dizzy with disgust. Rox and I side-eyed each other because the smell in the barn was like that of raw sewage, eggs, and cow patties, all left out in an Australian heat for a fortnight.

  “It’s Daisy here. She’s had a bit of a problem lately,” the handler said, smacking the rump of a cow. “We’re tweaking her diet, but you’ll have to excuse the cloud of funk surrounding her. Poor thing is sick.”

  Rox put her hand over her mouth. Her face became a putrid shade of green.

  “What’s a matter? Fart barn scaring you away?” I asked, reaching out to stroke Daisy’s back.

  Rox’s eyes crossed as she backed away and turned to leave, stifling both laughter and nausea with her palm. She breathed in deeply as soon as we stepped into the fresh air.

  “I’m extremely sensitive to smells! That animal was dying! I couldn’t handle it there. Especially after I just ate! I guess you got something on me now. Yes, I’m unable to handle certain smells. My gag reflex triggers easily.” She put her nose in the air and took another deep breath.

  “I’d say your gag reflex works just fine. But let’s get away from this place. How about we play some games?” I asked.

  “How about you not stall any longer and we catapult ourselves through the sky on The Comet? Dum, dum, dum!” She lowered her voice, opened her arms wide, and tried her best to sound scary. She only sounded like a mouse.

  It was cute but no way I would tell her that. I pretended to shake in fear.

  “I’m ready.” I grabbed her hand and kissed the back of her knuckles. “Let’s fly through the air, little raven.”

  As we neared the nonexistent line for The Comet, my anxiety began to get the best of me.

  What if I get sick up there?

  What if I get stuck up there?

  What if I plummet to the ground?

  What if it collapses?

  I gripped Rox’s hand with my sweaty palm and faintly followed her to the first row of seats.

  “I got us the best seats! You can see everything from up at the top. You can see what’s coming up ahead too. Like those double loops or that swirly-whirly part of the track.”

  I pushed the bulky brace into place as tight as I could, making me barely able to breathe under pressure. I would much rather suffocate under this contraption than be propelled forward into the sky and across Westy’s. I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing, mentally preparing myself for what would come next.

  “Hey, Jay? Are you okay? You’re all of a sudden quiet. We don’t have to—” She reached down and squeezed my knee as soon as the coaster lurched forward.

  “I’ll be okay,” I squeaked out as we climbed up the creakiest track I’d ever heard.

  “Change to the treaty! One quick change!” she spit out. “Gotta keep your eyes open!”

  I couldn’t see her from around the shoulder braces, but I was pretty sure she was trying to make sure I had them open.

  “That’s an unfair rule change! You can’t do it at the last minute!” I cried, still squeezing my eyes shut.

  The coaster paused at the top of the first drop.

  “Do it! I promise you’ll love it! Just this once! Open them! Quick! Keep ’em open!” she shouted.

  I flung my eyelids open like the good sport I was and immediately came in my pants—or at least, I hoped that was cum. My dick convulsed as I screamed like a bitch while the coaster dived straight down. I kept my eyes open, following the tracks and crying out like a five-year-old girl at a boy band concert. Whatever weird noises I made had Rox laughing harder than I’d ever heard anyone laugh before in my life. If anything, I was glad I could entertain her.

  We hit the whirly thing she’d warned me about, and I let out another girlish scream. She began snort-laughing next to me. We whizzed through the loops and spun through the twirls while my stomach plummeted into my balls and my heart was in my throat. I didn’t even bother to close my mouth the entire time because I couldn’t stop screaming, no matter how hard I fought with my voice to shut the fuck up.

  A bright flash from a mounted camera zapped my eyes as we hurled toward the end. As the gates became closer, my tension became looser. The roller coaster slowed to a stop, and my entire body came alive. I felt like I could hold all of the air in the world in my lungs, swim across the sea to back home, and tackle whatever anyone threw my way.

  The braces bounced up, and we clambered out of our seats and made our exit. My legs and voice still shook, but my soul wanted to ride again. I looked over at Rox, who had stopped laughing and hobbled down the path.

  “That was thrilling! Amazing! I understand it all now! I’d love to go again!” I jumped into the air, quickly composing myself as I remembered the moist stickiness in m
y pants.

  “I peed a little,” she whispered, slumping her shoulders forward.

  “Come again?” I wasn’t sure I’d heard her right.

  “I peed my pants. Fuck! It’s just a sprinkle of a tinkle, but fucking hell, you had me laughing so hard. Now, we have to go! I’ve got to change. Let’s go to a hotel.”

  “Oh. Right! That’s all right. I came in my pants, so we are even. I do want to run and get our picture right quick if you don’t mind. And pick up some fairy floss to take back.” I put my arm around her shoulders. The endorphin high pulsing through my body made me feel as if Rox and I could take on the world, messy pants and all.

  “Yes! I want the picture too. What’s fairy floss?” she asked.

  “Cotton candy! Want to load up on a bunch of junk and stay in the hotel for the rest of the night, eating crap and fucking around? I mean, I already came three times today, but I’m down for more.”

  “Best plan ever! Just let me shower.” She cringed, adjusting her shorts. “And, Jay?”

  “Yes, dear?”

  Dear? Why did I say that?

  That word had come out so natural and felt so right. She didn’t even flinch.

  “Did you like doing that? Soaring through the sky like a bird? Did it make you feel good and tingly? Besides the tingles from when you jizzed your pants? Did I convert you to liking to go wild and fast?” She stopped walking and turned to meet my eyes.

  “I think I like flying wild, fast, and free with my raven. I had fun, and I’m excited to see what else your clever brain can come up with for me—or us.” I tilted her chin up to mine and pressed my lips to hers.

  Eight

  Rox

  The first thing I did Monday morning when Betty had offered to pick me up in the taco truck was show her the picture of Jay and me on the roller coaster and tell her I’d pissed my pants.

  “You pissed your pants? Oh no. Hold up. The Rox I know isn’t scared of a damn roller coaster. What made you piss your pants? Did he scare you or something? I told him I’d make his Crocodile Dundee ass into an alligator bag!” Betty clutched the steering wheel and shook her head. Her long hair flowed behind her as she sped down the street.

  The weather had been warm enough for us to keep our windows open, and all of us preferred the fresh air to the scent of tacos all day long. It became old after a while.

  “No! I pissed my pants because I was laughing at him. He screamed like a bitch! It was hilarious. Also a little sexy. I swear, with that accent, he could do anything, and I’d throw my panties at him.”

  “Not your pee panties, I hope! Unless that’s a kink of his. How else did the date go? Did you have a good night? Did he treat you right?”

  “Hard pass on the pee fetish. It was amazing. We stayed at Westy’s Inn. It was pretty sketchy, but that didn’t stop us from having fun all night. It was—he was great.” I leaned into the open window and let the air hit my face, remembering the rush of wind on my cheeks as we sped through the sky on The Comet.

  “What’s next for y’all? It seems like you’re both headed down this road pretty fast.”

  “I don’t know. He’s going to cook for me at Scarlett Herb on Friday night, and I’m sure we will see each other a lot over this week since you know … he lives right freaking next door! He waits up for me. Did I tell you that? He wants to know I’m safe, so he waits until he hears me pull in the drive. I can see his light on upstairs. It turns off when I shut my car door. I’ve never had anyone care like that.”

  “I know you haven’t. Are you sure he is caring, or is he controlling? He might be waiting up to see if you come home at night. As in if you’re out with another man. Or maybe he wants to see if you are bringing home another man. Maybe this is one of those gaslighting things.”

  “No. At least, I’m pretty sure that isn’t the case.” I closed my eyes, concentrating on the last few times he had stayed up and our phone conversations after.

  Did he ever mention me being out with another man? Did he fish for information? He sounded genuinely concerned, didn’t he?

  My stomach fluttered as a traumatic memory with my ex, Tommy, surfaced. I shook my head and pushed it back, focusing on Jay.

  “His parents were in a terrible car accident. I think that is where the worry comes from when he stays up, wondering. He is Mr. Safety all the way. He is almost too safe. Not my style at all. But I think he had a good time, and I’m rubbing off on him. He already asked when we were going back to Westy’s. He said we should bring his brother and DTF.”

  “Sounds like a fun time to me. I’m glad Jay’s safe, but you’d better be sure that is what it is. Layla told me about his parents. She and Aiden have been spending time together, working on the Shizzle Sauce. Aiden opened up to her.”

  “Really? Jay hasn’t talked much about his personal life. He’s said a few things here and there, but he struggles with being vulnerable. Guess that flaw doesn’t run in his family then.”

  Betty side-eyed me and pursed her lips together in a thin line. “We’re picking her up today, too, after Nikki. You can ask her about it. But, Rox?”

  “Yeah?”

  “If someone sounds too good to be true—” she started.

  “They usually are,” I sighed.

  The following week had been our busiest yet. The Pink Taco Truck sold out every single night before seven thirty. Layla went back to Scarlett Herb, making Shizzle Sauce three times already. She swore up and down that she was making Shizzle Sauce and not banging Aiden, who she claimed was just a friend.

  She gave me a heads-up on Friday’s dinner, telling me that Aiden and the crew had been preparing it all week. Jay wanted to go all out for me and show me just as good of a time as I had shown him. I wasn’t so sure about Scarlett Herb. I owned a freaking taco truck, for crying out loud. My dinners were never shit I couldn’t pronounce that had been flown in from somewhere I also couldn’t pronounce. But I trusted Jay to make it right.

  We texted off and on throughout the week, but both of us were too busy to meet up. I worked late every single night and then headed to the shelter, and he was gone every single morning when I woke up. I didn’t even have much time to write poetry these days, which reminded me of the treaty we had agreed upon. He still owed me a tattoo and a poem. I texted him during our after lunch lull.

  Me: Any thoughts on what your tattoo will be? Have you started your poem?

  Jay: Yes! The tattoo anyway. The poem … not so much. I will show you what I’m thinking about tomorrow night. Are you ready for a dinner date with me? I realize we haven’t done the regular dates yet, and I’m keen to take you out properly even if it’s here at my restaurant.

  Me: I’m keen to be taken out properly. Wine me, dine me, 69 me.

  Jay: You know I will.

  Me: I know you will.

  “Why are you smiling over there?” Nikki came around the back of the truck and stretched her long legs. She’d been dancing even more at The Steamy Clam.

  “I was texting Jay. What’s up with you? Any new favorite customers at the club?” I sat down on a curb and patted the pavement next to me. “Sit. Catch me up on everything.”

  “Betty is still Betty, busting every man’s balls from here to there. Layla has been getting closer and closer to Aiden, but they haven’t dated yet, she said—or fucked. Not sure if I believe that. Earl is supposed to come by the next poetry night. He wanted to talk to us about some ideas for a seasonal menu change. Social media is going well. Our followers do most of the work with retweets. And me … I’m still working the pole and being a badass and praying to the Goddess of Dick that I can get some soon.”

  “No prospects at all?” I raised my brows.

  Nikki was a player. She always had a man in her back pocket.

  “Oh, there’ve been prospects. But no one has yet taken my breath away, and I’m not settling until I find someone who does. The others are only my toys.” She reached up, clutching her crystal necklace in her palm.

  “I know
what you mean about taking your breath away. I’ve never felt that way before, but Jay … he does it to me. And he is so reserved and classy. Not sure why I am so drawn to him. He’s not even close to my type!”

  “What do you mean, drawn to him?” She tilted her head sideways, studying my face.

  “Like, I want to eat, sleep, and breathe him. I’m so comfortable with him, like I’ve known him my entire life. He’s been gentle and kind to me, and he’s concerned about my well-being. Usually, most men want to fuck and then head out. They always, always head out too. All of them. Mentally or physically.”

  “Like Tommy,” she whispered.

  “Like Tommy. His mind became a big black hole. I’m still not sure what happened, but I feel like he sucked the light out of me. And Jay? He’s funneling that light back in.”

  “The light’s been there, Rox. You are the light. No one can give it to you because you are already it. Jay’s just opening your eyes. He is here for a reason, and I believe that reason is to get you to see yourself as the world sees you. Not as what Tommy told you that you were. I know it’s hard to heal from that. But look at you! You’re smiling. I don’t know where this all is going for you and Jay, but wherever it goes, it will be worth it. You’re healing yourself. Jay is just the catalyst. Right place and the right time.” She slipped something smooth and hard into my palm. “Rose quartz. For love. I see it. You’re falling in love.”

  “Falling in love, huh? You think a rock will make me and Jay fall in love?”

  “I didn’t mean falling in love with Jay. I meant falling in love with yourself.” Nikki rose to her feet and leaned down to kiss my forehead.

  “That was pretty fucking deep.” I poked the crystal around in my hand.

  “Sometimes, I can get deep. I’ve seen a lot of shit.”

  “No doubt about that. Thanks, Nikki. I guess we’d better prep for dinner.”

  “What are you two doing back there?” Layla poked her head out from the front of the truck.