Anyone but Her

by Erica Lee

I leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Reagan’s lips, lingering momentarily to cherish the moment. I kept our lips mere inches apart as I answered her question. “Honestly, if you even think about sleeping on that air mattress, I’m going to put a hole in it.”

  Before I could comprehend what was happening, Reagan rolled her body on top of mine. “That was an oddly aggressive warning, but strangely enough, I found it to be a huge turn on.”

  I reluctantly put my hands on Reagan’s shoulders to push her away. “As much as I would love to go for rounds two, three, and four right now, I don’t think it’s the best idea. My family will be home any minute and I know for a fact that my mom will come right up to check on you. I assume Jamie probably will too. I don’t think it’s the best idea if they find us naked.”

  Reagan groaned and rolled off of me. “I guess you’re right.” I watched her as she stood up and stretched, her long naked body like some perfect Greek statue. She then walked over to her bag and pulled out sweatpants and a T-shirt, quickly putting them on before sliding back under the covers.

  I followed her lead, getting out of bed only to change and then hopping back in. As if it were the most natural thing in the world, she put one hand on my hip and ran the other hand through my hair. “That feels nice,” I hummed. “I hope this doesn’t make me sound crazy, but whatever this is between us just feels so… right.”

  Reagan sighed. “I think we might both be a little crazy, because I feel the same way.” She reached down and took my hand in hers, bringing our interlocked fingers up to her mouth and placing a kiss on my knuckles that made me shudder. Then the serious look on her face was replaced with a smirk. “Be honest with me. Is it going to be hard for you to hang out with me around your family when you just want to rip my clothes off?”

  I shook my head. “Nope. Because here’s the thing…” I paused to run my hand along the waistband of her pants and moved closer so I could whisper in her ear. “If I want to rip your clothes off, I’ll find a way to do it. I hope that’s okay with you.”

  I watched as Reagan swallowed hard, then proceeded to nod, eyes wide. Once she recovered from her shock, she gave me a half-smile. “Does that mean you know a little bit about sneaking around?”

  “Let’s just say this isn’t the first time I’ve had sex in my parents’ house, speaking of which…”

  Reagan put one hand up, signaling for me to stop. “Your past is the past. I’m not one of those girls who feels the need to know all of the details. I don’t care who you used to sneak around with as long as I’m the one you’re sneaking around with now.” Her lighthearted laugh made my mind drift from what I should be telling her. Instead, I laid my head down on her chest, listening to her heart beat as I began to doze off.

  I felt like my eyes had barely closed when there was a knock on the door.

  “Hey, it’s Jamie. Just wanted to see how Reagan is doing. Can I come in?”

  My eyes shot open and I quickly jumped out of the bed, fixing my outfit so it didn’t look like I had just been lying down. I looked toward Reagan who nodded her approval, then opened the door to my room.

  “How is our patient doing?” Jamie asked, before averting his gaze from me to Reagan.

  “I’m feeling much better,” Reagan answered, smiling over at him. Her eyes then flashed toward me, and her grin became more wicked. “Your sister took very good care of me.”

  Luckily, Jamie didn’t catch on to the teasing behind her words. Instead, he knelt down beside the bed and held a hand up to Reagan’s head. This simple gesture would have made me jealous just a few hours ago, but now I could see it for what it was—completely platonic.

  “You do feel warm,” he reported, sounding concerned. He then moved his hand from her forehead down to her arm. “You’re also very sweaty. I think you should just go to bed for the night.” He leaned in and whispered something into her ear, before kissing her forehead and standing back up. Before leaving the room, Jamie turned back to me. “Thanks for taking care of her. I really appreciate it. I know it should be my job, but you know how Mom and Dad are.”

  “Of course,” I answered. “Could you just tell them I’m going to stay up here and watch after her? I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

  Jamie nodded, then squeezed Reagan’s hand before walking back out the door. I listened for his footsteps on the stairs, then locked the door before crawling back under the covers. Warmth surged through me when Reagan immediately snuggled close to me. I ran my hand over her arm, again wondering why this felt so damn normal.

  “You guys are really good at pulling off the fake dating thing,” I commented, hoping it would lead her to divulge more information about my brother.

  Reagan responded with a slight shrug of her shoulders. “It’s not too hard. People see what they want to see. Your family wants to believe we’re dating, so they will. Plus, for the most part, I’m not faking anything. Sure, we’re not really dating, but I truly adore your brother with all my heart. He’s the most important person in my life. I just have no interest in jumping his bones, and he feels the same way about me.”

  “So, my brother…” I began, but Reagan swiftly shook her head at me.

  “I’m not saying anything else about why he brought home a fake girlfriend. You’re a smart girl. I’m sure you can figure it out on your own. Whatever this is, is great, and I’m looking forward to seeing where it goes, but my loyalty lies with your brother. He’s been in my life for a really long time. I already feel bad enough about lying to him.”

  I knew she was right in all respects. I had a pretty good idea why a guy would fake having a girlfriend, but then again, I had to wonder if my mind went there because of the fact that I was gay. Was it really possible that my super conservative parents had birthed not just one, but two, gay children? If so, it seemed God had a sense of humor, even if it was a dark one. There were a plethora of reasons to fake it though. Maybe he was a player and Reagan was his way of hiding that. Maybe his real girlfriend was someone that Mom and Dad would loathe. It wasn’t worth harping on though. What mattered was the fact that it was fake and I was the one Reagan was interested in, even if her loyalties were with my brother. I couldn’t blame her for that. It was clear how much they cared about each other. I felt guilty that I was coming between them at all.

  “I’m really sorry you have to lie to him. I’m just not ready to come out to him yet. I know that might sound stupid to you, but this is a lot to work through.”

  I was surprised when a soft chuckle left Reagan’s mouth. “You don’t have to apologize. I get it. I’ve met your family. And to be honest, even if you were ready to come out, I don’t think I’m at the point where I’m ready to tell my best friend that I banged his sister. Gay or straight, male or female, I still think that totally goes against the bro code.”

  “You’re probably right,” I laughed‍. “But for what it’s worth, I’m sorry you’re in this position.”

  Reagan lifted an eyebrow at me. “Which position are we talking about? Because I was pretty happy about the position I was in a little bit ago. There also happen to be a few other positions I’d like to be put in.”

  Her words sent a current straight down to my core, but I knew it wasn’t a good idea to get caught up when my whole family was still wide awake, so I placed one chaste kiss on her lips, before pulling back. “Have you seriously been out since you were in ninth grade?” I asked, trying to find a topic that wouldn’t result in me getting turned on.

  “Sure have,” Reagan answered proudly.

  I blew out a breath. “I can’t even begin to imagine what that’s like.”

  “And I can’t imagine what it’s like to still be partially in the closet at this age,” Reagan laughed. “But we had two very different lives growing up. I can only go by what Jamie has told me and what I’ve seen the past two weeks, but I can tell you that living with your parents was nothing like living with my parents. My parents are both college professors at a very liberal university outside of
Philly. One of my mom’s best friends is also gay, so it’s always been a normal thing for her. I actually came out to that friend and her partner first, but they both encouraged me to tell my parents. Which was the right decision, because my parents accepted me with open arms. Same with my brother. He’s three years older than me and super protective, so I think he was just excited I wouldn’t be bringing home any guys.”

  Hearing Reagan talk about her family made me feel a longing to have that. I guess she must have read the look on my face because she placed one hand on my cheek and kissed me tenderly.

  “So, why eyes?” she inquired after pulling away.

  I could feel the smile coming back to my face when I thought back to the day when I decided my chosen career path. “I was undecided when I first started college. I knew I wanted to do a job where I could help people, but I never really knew what that was going to be. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I started volunteering for one of those big brother/big sister organizations. I was placed with an 11-year-old girl who was struggling in school and lashing out when the teachers tried to help her. One day, I was doing school work with her and I realized that she seemed to be having trouble seeing. With the help of the organization, we were able to get her an eye exam and it turned out that she needed glasses. The doctor said she had probably been struggling to see for years, but her parents couldn’t afford to pay for the exam, so they never took her. When she got those glasses, it was life-changing. I never considered what a big difference a pair of glasses could make. I knew in that moment that’s exactly what I wanted to do. It’s a dream of mine to open a pediatric clinic, so I can help more kids like her.”

  Instead of responding right away, Reagan shook her head. “I just don’t get it,” she finally replied.

  Not exactly the response I was expecting. “Get what?”

  Reagan continued to shake her head, but a small smile played on her lips. “You’re sexy, funny, and yet you still have a heart of gold.” She groaned as if this fact was somehow painful for her to handle. “I mean, damn, Charlie. You were like the it girl in high school. Long blonde hair. Blue eyes. Cheerleader. Homecoming Queen. Most people who peak in their teens lose it once they graduate. But you just kept killing it. You’re a freaking doctor. Not only that, but you’re doing it for the most noble reason ever. You also sneak out of high tea to drink beer and watch soccer. I’m not going to say you’re my dream girl because that would be super creepy, but really, how are you single?”

  I couldn’t help but blush. It was refreshing to be around someone as honest as Reagan. “I’m a twenty-six-year-old woman who doesn’t have the courage to come out to her own parents. I’m not exactly the picture of confidence.”

  Reagan slipped a hand under my shirt and traced circles along my stomach, making me want to forget all about talking. “That has more to do with your parents than you though,” she commented, seemingly oblivious to what she was doing to me.

  “Tell that to my ex-girlfriend.” I cringed when I realized how bitter my words sounded, worried it would make it seem like I wasn’t over my ex. The reality was I had moved on from the break up rather quickly. What I hadn’t gotten over was the fact I had let my parents be the reason it ended.

  If Reagan was turned off at all, she didn’t show it. She had quite the opposite reaction, pressing kisses across my neck while she continued to run her hand over my stomach. “She wasn’t a fan of the family secrets?” She stopped her kisses just long enough to get the words out, then continued.

  “She just… didn’t think… that I was invested enough… if I… I wasn’t willing to tell them.” I couldn’t have suppressed the involuntary moan that followed if I wanted to. “Remind me again why we are talking about my ex and my parents right now.”

  Reagan stopped kissing me as her lips quirked into a half-smile. “Because you said we couldn’t have sex yet.”

  I put my lips up to her ear so she could hear my whispers. “How quiet can you be?”

  Without any hesitation, Reagan rolled on top of me. She mouthed the words so quiet before running her tongue across my neck. Now the question was whether I could do the same.

  ***

  When I woke up the next day, still naked, limbs tangled up with Reagan’s, I couldn’t help but wonder how things would be between us in the light of day. Aside from our brief conversation, the night had been spent doing anything but talking. It all seemed so surreal that I wasn’t sure if I would wake to find it was all a dream. Our naked bodies vetoed that possibility, but we still hadn’t talked about what all of this meant. I wasn’t looking for some elaborate promise of being together forever, but I was hoping for some assurance that she also wanted this to continue as badly as I did.

  I received that assurance when Reagan woke up and immediately placed a gentle kiss on my lips. She sighed as she reached over and intertwined her fingers with mine. “You don’t know how happy I am that last night wasn’t just some very elaborate wet dream.”

  “What are we doing, Reagan?” The words were out before I had the chance to stop them, and I hated myself for even asking. Way to play it cool, Charlie.

  “Beats me,” she chortled. “All I know is I like it and don’t want it to stop.”

  I couldn’t stop the smile that took over my face as I leaned in to kiss her again. It was the same smile that returned multiple times throughout the day. At breakfast when Reagan subtly played footsie with me underneath the table. Later in the afternoon when she looked up from the computer she was diligently working on to share a secret smile with me from across the room. After family dinner when she volunteered to do the dishes with me and brushed her hand with mine everytime she passed me a plate. And finally, when she crawled out onto the roof next to me after everyone had gone to bed.

  “Hi,” she breathed, taking my hand and placing it on her lap.

  “Hi to you,” I flirtatiously returned, before leaning in to kiss her. It was meant to be a light kiss, but as soon as my lips touched hers, I was drawn right back in. Quiet moans escaped each of us as our tongues met again.

  After what could have been seconds or hours, we pulled away from each other to catch our breath. Reagan stared dreamily at the stars, before letting her eyes drift across my backyard. “Any interest in sneaking out and going for a walk?” There was something about the tone of her voice that told me she was up to no good, but I was too intrigued to say no.

  Less than five minutes later, we were quietly shutting the backdoor behind us as we walked outside. It was an unseasonably warm night, even for the end of June and I felt sweat pooling on my back. I tried to ignore it as I followed Reagan, who seemed to have already chosen the path she wanted to walk. When we were far enough away from the house, I slid my hand into hers, trying not to get caught up in how effortless it all was.

  Reagan slowed as we approached the lake at the edge of the large backyard. “So, just out of curiosity, can we be seen or heard from here?”

  I no longer felt intrigued, but instead turned on, as I thought about what Reagan could possibly have in mind. “I guess that depends on what you have planned,” I teased.

  Without saying a word, Reagan stripped off her shirt and pants. My mouth went dry as I took in the sight in front of me. She looked like a goddess standing there in nothing but a matching red bra and underwear set. For a moment, I could barely form a thought. How was it possible to feel this turned on without even touching her? When my eyes drifted up to meet Reagan’s, I noticed she was already staring at me.

  “I thought maybe you would want to go for a swim. What do you say?”

  The way she licked her lips caused a newfound confidence to course through me. Soon, my shirt and pants joined hers on the ground and I was closing the distance between the two of us. “See, there is just one problem with your plan.” I ran a hand over her underwear and watched as she struggled to catch her breath. “It would be a shame to get our nice undergarments wet.”

  I placed one chaste kiss on her lips an
d turned away, stripping out of the rest of my clothes before jumping into the water. I didn’t even have a chance to turn back around when I felt the splash from Reagan entering the water. When she reached around me from behind, I was happy to feel that she had taken my advice.

  “Tell me, Dr. Miller, is this the craziest thing you’ve ever done?” Her soft breath on my neck caused goosebumps to cover my whole body.

  I twisted myself around, so I was facing her and wrapped my legs around her waist as an anchor. The contact had me so aroused I almost couldn’t form the words, but I didn’t want to miss this opportunity to tease her. “If you’re asking if I’ve ever skinny-dipped in this lake, the answer is yes.” As I was hoping, a slightly disappointed look settled onto Reagan’s face. I put my hand under her chin to direct her eyes toward mine. “But if you’re asking if I’ve ever had sex while skinny-dipping in this lake, I’d tell you that it’s suddenly at the top of my bucket list.”

  That’s all it took for Reagan’s lips to find mine, the kiss deepening as soon as our mouths made contact. Soon, hands and limbs were moving frantically, both of us overcome with the need to find release in any way possible. I didn’t mind the quick pace because I knew that we would slow it down once we were back in the room, just like we had in the late hours of last night. I’m not sure if it was the way Reagan’s hands were exploring my body or the thought of her taking her time to study, touch, and kiss every inch last night, but soon I was thrashing through the water as the orgasm shot through me. Reagan’s strong arms held me tightly the whole time, making me feel safe. Almost too safe.

  Chapter 7: Reagan

  I bent over and stretched, as Jamie did his own warm-ups beside me. I was absolutely dreading this, but when Jamie had suggested we should participate in the town’s Independence Day 5k since we hadn’t been working out, I couldn’t tell him that I had found another way to stay fit. With the exception of last night, Charlie and I had ravaged each other nightly ever since our first time almost a week ago. Last night would have been the same if we hadn’t fallen asleep in the middle of a conversation about our favorite music, movies, and TV shows. Sex with Charlie was indescribable. We weren’t at the point where I could admit this to her, but my previous experiences didn’t hold a candle to what it was like between us. It was so much more than sex though. I loved talking and learning everything about her. She was so multifaceted that I was constantly surprised by her. I probably enjoyed our time spent lying in bed, snuggled close, chatting about our lives, even more than the sex. Of course, that didn’t stop me from being moody this morning since I hadn’t gotten my bedtime orgasm. Apparently, Charlie had felt the loss too because I could feel her eyes on me as I stretched, which only encouraged me to bend a little further. When I turned to look at where she stood on the side of the road, her cheeks were red, but there was a wide grin on her face. She shook her head at me and I shrugged my shoulders innocently.