by Maren Lee
“Please, dear god, Janice. Do not give me an actual demonstration. We still have to be neighbors when this is all over,” Molly teased from Jake’s recliner, a drink in her hand.
“Don’t tempt me, Molly. I may come over and give your hot piece of man meat a demonstration all on my own,” she winked and then licked her red lips. “Wesson is hotsy-totsy!”
“Back off my fiancé, Janice,” Molly teased. “I will fight you.”
Laughter filled the room and made Katie’s heart warm. Her mom came downstairs from Bennett’s room and settled down next to her on the couch as Janice passed around a butt plug called a “Bum Diggity.” Nooo…that can’t be what it’s called?
To some it might seem weird that Katie was at a sex toy party with her mom (or that Lane had invited her mother-in-law to the same party). But Jake and Katie’s mom, Sarah, was not your typical mom. She was hilarious. A great mom. Typical television mom qualities. Great cook. Perfectly pulled together at almost all times. Good at helping with homework, especially math. Great at kissing owies away.
But she was also a raging feminist. And, wouldn’t you know it, it was probably the best possible quality in a mom that Katie could have asked for.
Sarah had fought tooth and nail with Katie’s high school over the dress code. “Oh really? My daughter’s shoulders are a distraction? Sounds like it’s more of a problem for the boys in this school than it is for my daughter. They’re going to have to learn to deal with shoulders in college and in the real world. Maybe you should just go ahead and teach them about shoulders now?” Katie’s mom became her fucking hero that day.
She’d also fought for raises for all of Katie’s dad’s female employees who were doing the same work as the men. “Don’t care what you think, Joe. They’re doing the same job. And I do the books. So I’m paying them the same,” she remembered her mom sternly stating (not yelling) at the dinner table. There was no argument. Joe just nodded and took another bite of lasagna. Because of her mom, Katie would never settle for anything less than what she deserved.
Are you sure about that? Katie shook off her doubts again.
Her favorite mom-inism moment, though, was when she’d heard her mom lecturing her father on the inherent sexism in the idea of “the sacred virginity.” Sounds like a fuckin’ Dan Brown novel. Katie still laughed when she thought about her dad’s eye twitching when he finally realized his baby girl was the wildest one out of of all of his children.
But Katie’s mom was her rock. Her biggest cheerleader. Best mom in the world. She laid her head on her mom’s shoulder and got a pat on her hand.
“You okay, sweetheart?” Sarah asked, looking over at her, concern in her eyes.
Katie sighed. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I wish Brian was here so I could finally meet him.” Sarah sounded frustrated.
“Yeah, me too. But he’s at work tonight. And this isn’t really Brian’s scene. If you know what I mean…” she trailed off.
“Well, I wouldn’t expect him to hang out at a sex toy party. He could go hang with Jake while we’re here,” she suggested.
“Jake…doesn’t really like Brian all that much, Mom. And Brian can tell Jake doesn’t like him very much. So he doesn’t want to hang with Jake.” Katie understood. Completely. Her brother was hard to take. Especially since he was so fucking protective of her.
“You know, your brother is a great judge of character.”
“Mom, he’s hated every single person I’ve dated.”
“You haven’t actually dated anyone of great character, so I’m not surprised,” Sarah said dryly.
“Hey! Shiloh was okay.” Katie hadn’t told anyone about Ryan, so she knew she was reaching deep into the barrel with that one.
Her mom laughed. “Shiloh was ridiculous.”
Katie nodded and laughed along. “He totally was. But before Lane, everyone Jake ever f-…dated was a twit.”
“Don’t move into something too fast, Katie. I lucked out when I got pregnant with your brother at such a young age. Your dad is the best man in the world. You haven’t been with Brian long enough to know if he even qualifies for the competition.”
He doesn’t. But he maybe he could?
Katie gave her mom a sad smile. “Brian’s great,” she countered with faked enthusiasm. “You’ll love him when you meet him. He wants to fly us in his plane to Challis the next time we have a weekend off together so that he can meet you guys.”
Katie internally cringed. Her mom’s eyes lit up.
“That’s amazing. That’s right, you told me he’s a pilot! I’ll let your dad know!”
No. Fuckkkkkkkkkk. Why’d I say that? I don’t wanna fly in the doctor killer.
Another dildo was passed around the room. Katie failed to see what was different about this one than the last one.
“Turn it on! Turn it on!” Janice yelled at her.
Katie found the switch and flipped it. Fucking lights and music started coursing through the rubber dildo. “Oh, god, no.” Katie much preferred the previous one. She flipped it to her mom, who looked for a second like she was seriously considering it. “Mom, please put down the dildo,” she implored.
“It looks kind of fun,” she giggled.
“Dad would look at you like you just got back from Mars.”
“Your father is more adventurous than you might think.” Sarah wiggled her eyebrows.
Gross.
“TMI, Mom. Thanks. That’s disgusting.” Sarah laughed it off and then passed the musical dildo to Sierra.
“It’s true,” Janice chimed in. “The older men know what they’re doing and have very few inhibitions.”
Katie immediately thought of Ryan.
Shit. I know exactly what you mean, Janice.
“Yeah, I want one of these,” Sierra didn’t even turn it on to try it. “Add it to my tab.”
“Fuck, Sierra. Does Brenden know you’re gonna end up spending a thousand bucks on sex toys tonight?” Lane asked.
“Brenden knows what I want him to know. But I have an annual budget that I haven’t dipped into yet.” She winked.
Annual sex toy budget? That’s not a half bad idea. If only Brian were into that kind of thing… Katie sighed. She accepted vanilla sex because she loved him.
Right?
Fuck. It was getting too hot in the living room.
I need air.
Katie patted her mom on the leg and stood up. “I need to get some air for a minute, Mama.” She walked to the sliding glass door in the dining room and out onto the back deck. Jake and Lane had an awesome party deck. Just walking out onto it made Katie want to have a margarita in hand.
She inhaled deeply and looked up at the sky. That was something she missed. Living in Billings, the city lights washed out the starlight. In Imminence, though? Magic. Billions and billions of stars. She felt like she could see the curve of the Milky Way above her.
The fresh air had Katie feeling better already. Less claustrophobic. Less unsure of the decisions she’d made.
The sliding glass door opened up behind her.
“I wondered if you might be out here,” she heard his deep voice behind her.
Her stomach flipped. Katie gasped.
Ryan.
➰
When Jake had invited Ryan for drinks down at the Cadillac Ranch Club, the best local hangout they had in Imminence, Ryan jumped at the chance to do something other than his usual evening routine: Call his kids. Gym. Shower. Television. Whiskey. Pity-party. Masturbate. Sleep. Repeat.
So, yeah. He’d take a drink at the Cadillac with some friends.
He’d learned while he was there that the reason for the “guys’ night out” was because Jake’s wife Lane was having a sex toy party at her house. Sex toys immediately made Ryan think of Jake’s sister.
Yeah, this isn’t awkward or anything.
“Sex toy party? What on earth is a sex toy party?” he asked.
&n
bsp; Jake laughed. “Oh, Molly’s neighbor is a hundred-and-twenty years old and is a Pure Romance rep. She asked Lane if she’d host a party and my wife can’t seem to say no. So, there’s a table covered in about forty-five vibrators, a bunch of different colored dildos, and vibrating butt plugs at my house, in the living room, right now. And only about twelve women to split it all, so things might be dicey when we get back there.”
Ryan laughed. “Who all showed up?”
“Oh, all the regulars. Plus my mom and sister.”
Which sister? Don’t ask that. Shut up, you idiot!
“I asked Katie if she thought it was gonna be awkward buying dildos in front of our mom. She just hit me.” Jake shrugged.
Katie. Katie’s in Imminence. Katie’s at Jake’s house.
A few hours later and it was all Ryan could think about. He’d only had two beers. A couple of rounds of darts where he lost miserably because he was completely distracted.
“Who’s ready to head on back to my place?” Jake asked.
“I’m ready to see what Molly is bringing home tonight.” Wesson grinned. “She promised she’d get somethin’ good.”
“Pretty sure there’s no cock ring that’s gonna fit you, man.” Justin slugged Wesson in the arm.
Wesson had a huge dick. Seriously. No dude in Bounty County could compete. And it was so large that people talked about it. Ryan wasn’t a chick, but he felt a little sorry for Molly. It was a wonder she wasn’t always walking bow-legged.
Wesson just rolled his eyes.
“I doubt Chloe ordered anything,” Justin said. “Between Nora kicking our ass and the pregnancy, we haven’t had a lot of time to get adventurous lately. Plus, no babysitter tonight, so Nora is at the party with Chloe. I swear to god, man, if that girl learns any more swear words, I’m gonna lose it. She said ‘shit’ the other day! Just out of the blue. She dropped her sippy cup and shouted, ‘shit!’ Chloe swears she doesn’t know where our daughter is learning this stuff.”
“Probably Sierra,” Brenden said.
Ryan had to laugh at that. It was probably Sierra. But kids were parrots. In his experience, they repeated everything.
“I’ve already been informed via text that there is a chance the entire budget for bedroom essentials is being used tonight.” Brenden shook his head.
“You budget that?” Jake asked.
“I’m married to Sierra. If I didn’t budget it, we’d be broke.”
Damn, man. There could be worse problems than your wife being a sex fiend.
“Let’s go find out the damage, then!” Jake laughed.
“Ryan, you wanna come over for another drink and check out the shit show with us?”
Normally, Ryan would have said no. He had no reason to head across town to Jake’s house. But, Katie.
“Yeah, sure! Sounds good!” he tried not to sound too excited, but he was pretty sure he failed.
He caught a glare from Wesson. Wesson was the only one who knew about Katie. Back when Katie and Ryan had been together, Wesson had walked in on the two of them sharing…a special moment. A blow job. He caught her giving you a blowjob, dude.
Wesson had not been pleased.
Mostly because Jake was very protective of his little sister. Jake was going to kill Ryan if he ever found out. Wesson was convinced he was in deep shit just for knowing.
Ryan didn’t even care anymore. If he could get Katie back, he’d deal with the fallout. He’d deal with Jake. He’d make him understand.
“What the fuck are you scheming, man?” Wesson loudly whispered to him as everyone was filing out of the bar.
“Shut up, Wesson. Can’t I go to my friend’s house for a beer?”
“You know she’s at his house!”
“Who cares if she’s there? She broke it off with me!”
“I thought you were the one who ended it?!” Wesson asked. Ryan may have told him that.
They were still whispering loudly as they walked out of the bar.
“She broke it off with me,” Ryan corrected him.
“Oh great. Now I get it. You fuckin’ dumbass. You were just dusting my balls earlier! You damn liar!” Wesson admonished.
“What?! Keep your voice down!”
“It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to realize what’s going through your brain, man.”
Ryan had to chuckle at another of his friend’s “Wessonsisms.” New ones flew out of that guy’s mouth every day. “What’s going through my brain, Wess? Tell me, since you know everything.”
“You’re gonna try to win her back. Like a goddamn knight in shining hardware.”
You’re goddamn right I am.
“I’m just goin’ to my friends’ house for a beer, Wesson. If I see her, I’m gonna be polite and say hello. That’s it.” Ryan shrugged and got into his Jeep Wrangler, which was parked right next to Wesson’s truck. His lime green Jeep had been totaled a while back by Wesson’s jailbird dad during a high speed chase. Ryan had replaced it with white. Not quite as obnoxious. Still lifted and on giant tires. But it was classy in white. Like a knight in shining hardware. He laughed to himself.
Katie told you she liked white Wranglers. That’s why you got it.
He shushed his inner critic.
“See you over there, Ryan. I’m watching you,” Wesson warned, giving the two finger eye point like Robert De Niro in Meet the Parents.
Ryan flipped Wesson off.
Whatever. Go ahead and watch me get the girl.
Chapter 6
Ryan walked into the house and saw a gaggle of females giggling as they showed Jake a giant floppy red dildo. But he didn’t see Katie.
Where is she?
“Who needs a brew?” Ryan asked the crowd. A few hands went up, so he went to the garage fridge and grabbed a handful of Coors Lights. He brought them back into the group, where they were now laughing over what he heard Lane call the “Hand Jive.”
“It’s for dudes, honey,” Sierra showed Brenden. “It’s like a pocket pussy, but they call it a ‘masturbation sleeve’ here to make it less crass.”
“I do not fuckin’ need a masturbation sleeve. You think I have time for that between babysitting these chuckle heads and tending to your sexual needs?” Brenden teased.
Sierra moved in almost nose-to-nose with Brenden. “Watch the ‘tude, Bren. You won't be needed to tend to my needs anymore with all the fun stuff I’m coming home with if you keep up that sass.”
Brenden smirked and pulled Sierra in for a long hard passionate kiss. When he released her, Sierra smiled.
“None of my new toys do that.” She turned around still resting in his arms now facing the group.
For a second, Ryan considered making a purchase, but thought maybe if he found Katie, he wouldn’t need a hand jive.
She’s engaged, dude. She’s not going to fuck you tonight. Not to mention you would never hear the end of it for buying something at a sex toy party in front of all of your buddies.
Ryan wandered through the crowd of his immature friends laughing over anal beads and made his way out onto the back deck.
Katie.
There she was, her blonde hair trailing down her back. A simple red tank top showcased her toned, tanned arms. Her jeans hugged her long legs and gorgeous ass.
Fuck, she’s beautiful.
“I wondered if you might be out here.”
She jumped.
Way to startle her, buddy.
She turned around and gasped.
Seriously. So fucking beautiful.
“Ryan.”
“Wanna beer?” he asked, handing her an already opened bottle.
“Um… Yeah. Thanks.” She accepted it and took a swig.
“What are you doing here? I didn’t expect to see you.” She stared straight into his eyes, as if challenging him.
“Jake invited me. I heard you might be here. I wanted to see you.”
He heard another intake of br
eath.
“Ryan. Please, don’t.”
Shit. I’ve got to, though.
“I miss you, Katie.”
She scoffed. “You miss fucking me.”
“Not gonna lie. Never felt more at home than when I was sliding inside of you. But now? Fuck, Katie. I’d take sitting next to you without touching you for the rest of my life over not being with you. I didn’t know what I had, or could have had, whatever you wanna call it. I miss you so goddamn much.”
