Fragile Love

by Mack Black

  Bella blushed and leaned back a little in her chair. The robe she wore slipped down her shoulder, revealing a red lace strap. I was finding it harder and harder to concentrate.

  “How was dinner?” she asked.

  I licked my lips, shaking my head to clear the images there. “The usual. I don’t know if Nessa will ever spill about what’s going on in her head, but the problem is, I don’t think she can get past it until she does.”

  Bella nodded, and the robe slipped a little further down her arms.

  Fuck. Stop staring James.

  “I can try to talk to her if you want? Maybe having a girlfriend to open up to will work,” Bella said, oblivious to the fact I was practically salivating.

  “Sure, yeah,” I muttered, only half paying attention.

  “I know that look,” she said. “The look of want.”

  I smirked, knowing I was busted. “I can’t help it; you’re just sexy.”

  "I’ll be home tomorrow."

  Tomorrow?

  "Why are you coming back early?" I asked.

  "Problems on set. I'll come back in a week to start. They had to cancel at the last minute."

  "Oh."

  Bella frowned and tilted the camera to her face. "You don't look excited."

  I smiled and placed the computer in my lap, so I wouldn't be tempted to rub myself. "I'm ecstatic. Just tired."

  “It will all be fine James, we will figure out what’s going on with Vanessa. I promise.”

  "I love you." I leaned back on the couch.

  "I love you too."

  "James, open up," Jace shouted as he knocked three times in rapid succession.

  "Coming."

  I'd been stroking myself for the past thirty minutes, but I couldn't make the damn thing go down.

  Bella. The things you do to me.

  I pulled my shorts on and yanked a shirt over my head before opening the door.

  "What's up bro?" Jace said, clapping my back.

  "Oh you know, same shit," I muttered.

  Please don't notice the massive hard-on.

  "I came here because I want to do you a favor. You're a man now, and we're brothers. It's time for me to teach you a few things about women. Seeing as your girl is out of town, it's the perfect time to do it," Jace said, hitting me a few times in the arm.

  "Okay. What do you mean?"

  "I mean, the art of seduction James. Your words, your body, your face even, it's all part of seducing a woman. The more you seduce her, the more she’ll want you. You've got the girl, now I'm gonna show you how to keep her."

  I'm pretty sure my face was stained red. How could he come here and say that? It was probably the most embarrassing thing Jace has ever done. I really didn’t want to hear how he managed with my sister.

  "I think I'm pretty good in that department. I mean, once Bella dressed up like my favorite female villain just to please me. She likes to please me," I argued.

  Jace looked at me long and hard. Then he started to smile.

  "You're a kinky fucker, aren't you?"

  What does that even mean?

  "Umm, I'm not really sure."

  Jace laughed, and his eyes twinkled.

  "Do you have a red room of pain where you whip her with paddles and stuff? Are you secretly a Christian Grey type? Because damn, girls love that shit."

  If it was possible for me to get any redder, I'd be a fucking strawberry.

  "No, I’m not that extreme. I've sparked her, but only with my hand. As far as Bella pleasing me, that's because she wants to, not because it's required."

  Jace smirked again, then lead me to the couch. I took a seat beside him and settled into the pillows.

  "What's the right way to kiss a girl to make her want you?" Jace asked.

  "Stroke her cheek while you look into her eyes, then lean in nice and slow.” Easy. He could at least make this hard.

  Jace looked at me with a wicked smile. "Wrong answer. The right way is to push her against the wall, hold her hands above her head, and kiss her like you’ll never get the chance again."

  I coughed, and his eyes darted around the room.

  "Girls love that shit. That and a good, smooth line." Jace rubbed a hand through his hair.

  "A line?" I asked.

  "Something like, ‘if I had a star for every time you brightened my day, I'd have a whole galaxy in my hand.’" He smirked.

  "Or if you want to go a more sexual route, pull her real close, lean in and nibble her ear. Then when she starts to squirm a little, whisper, ‘the only place I want to be right now is deep inside you.’"

  My cheeks turned to fire.

  "Have you actually said that to a girl?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

  "Hell yes. I once told your sister I'd fuck the world right out from under her. Needless to say, she never stopped wanting me after that. In fact, that was one of the first lines I ever gave her."

  Gross.

  "Let's get something straight here. The last thing I wanna know is what you and my sister do. I mean, you played a dangerous game with Nessa for her heart. Anything beyond that I’m Switzerland." I looked at him, panic swirling around my chest. I really didn’t want to think about sex and my sister in the same thought, but now I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

  "Okay, okay, but seriously, you walked yourself right into that one," Jace teased. "When is she coming back?"

  Excitement bloomed in my stomach. "Tomorrow."

  "When she walks through the door, I'm telling you, push her against the wall, hold her hands above her head, and lay one on her. Trust me."

  Hmm. Maybe I will.

  "Any other humble advice, dear brother?" I mocked.

  "Actually yes, the key to seducing a woman is equal parts sexual and emotional. You find out what they want and you give it to them. You gotta use the right words and actions to seal the deal, but once you get the hang of it…" he trailed off. The corners of his eyes crinkled. "It works every time."

  Jace winked and patted me on the back as he stood. "Start with what I told you. When it works, well, there's always more where that came from."

  "Wait!"

  Jace turned around and gave me his famous smirk.

  "What do I do after that?" I asked.

  He ran a hand through his hair and gave me a genuine smile, something he didn’t do often. Normally, he just gave his signature smirk.

  "You loop her arms around your neck during the kiss, rip down her panties, and fuck her hard against the wall. If she's panting by the end, you did the job right."

  Restrain, kiss, fuck hard. Sounds easy enough.

  "Will do." I saluted him like a soldier and chuckled.

  "James, you're hilarious. Just trust me."

  I walked him to the door and shut it behind him.

  That was awkward.

  I woke up around ten in the morning.

  I got up, showered, and waited for her arrival. Just thinking about her had me dancing around the apartment.

  I powered up my Xbox and decided to play a game to pass the time. I had top scores to beat. My inner nerd hadn't been out to play much since getting a girlfriend. I was more interested in fucking said girlfriend.

  Music played as my character searched for survivors in a zombie infested world. To my left, a zombie. I shot him. To the right, a zombie. The sound of the gun echoed against the walls as I shot zombie after zombie. Look, a survivor up ahead.

  Before I knew it, I'd rescued five survivors and killed a total of one-hundred and seventy zombies.

  Sweet.

  I heard the key twist in the lock and I shut off the game without even saving it. I stood as the door swung open.

  Good grief she's gorgeous.

  I jogged to her, closing the door. Her scent washed over me in waves. Intoxicating.

  Bella dropped her bags and smiled at me.

  Do it.

  I grabbed her by the waist and pushed her into the door. I gripped her upper arms and slid them above her head. My han
ds slid up her arms until our fingers twisted together. I gave her one glance before my mouth found hers. My tongue probed out, demanding access.

  Bella reacted, thrusting against my leg as she returned the kiss.

  Fuck. This is hot.

  Without a second thought, I ripped her panties down. My shorts followed. Then, I buried myself inside her. Bella’s moan was satisfaction in itself.

  So tight.

  "James," she cried out.

  I pulled out and slammed back in again, over and over.

  Every thrust was harder, deeper. I squeezed her hands and groaned as the pressure built inside me. Bella’s body shook harder and harder with each thrust. I prayed no one walked down the hallway because they would surely hear us.

  If sex could be this good, I could understand why Jace asked my sister to marry him during the act. Right now, in this moment, all I wanted was to marry Bella so I could do this every day for the rest of my life.

  "Fuck Bella! You’re so tight. I can't hold out much longer."

  As if on command, her body convulsed. Her insides gripped my dick so hard I blew.

  "James." Bella panted, her body shaking as I pulled out of her. Our juices dripped down her leg and I grunted in satisfaction. My finger swiped through it and lifted to my lips.

  Bella tried to catch her breath, leaning against the wall and staring at me. "James that was fucking hot." Her voice was uneven.

  "I know." I gave her a half smile and nipped at her nose. "But see, now there's a problem," I whispered, leaning in to catch her ear.

  "What's that?" Her eyes were so hooded and full of desire I wanted to take her to my bed and fuck her all over again.

  "I really, really want to eat you."

  "I don't know if I can go a week without you little flower," I said, still tangled up in her.

  "Two days was hard enough. I thought I was gonna go crazy missing you," she said, leaning up to kiss my cheek.

  "I'm glad you're home."

  Bella smiled and ran a hand through my hair. "Home is where your heart is. Wherever you are, that's my home."

  My heart melted right then and there. No one had ever said anything so sweet to me before, not once in my life.

  She was right though. Every time I was with her I felt at home. It didn't matter where we were.

  My mind drifted back to the marriage thing, and I wondered if it was too soon to bring it up. When I gave her Dad's ring, she’d kind of freaked out, so maybe it was too soon.

  I knew without a single shred of doubt that I wanted to marry her. I'd spent six years in love with her. I didn't need more time than that to know. Bella was it for me. She’d always been it for me. I didn't see that changing.

  "I feel the same way little flower."

  Bella sighed and laid her head on my chest. It didn't take long before her breaths became heavier and I knew she’d fallen asleep.

  I slipped out from under her and out of the room. As much as I wanted to stay there holding her, I wasn't tired.

  My phone buzzed on the kitchen counter and I grabbed it, glancing at the screen.

  Did you do it Nerd? -Ya Brotha

  I laughed.

  I did. It was pretty awesome. Thanks for the advice Jace. -Nerd

  He would get a kick out of me signing it Nerd, because normally I just signed with a J.

  I've got more if you want it. We should go out for a beer one night. I kinda wanna talk about your sister too. -Ya Brotha

  So I'm not the only one who noticed something is up. Hmm.

  I've been meaning to ask you about Vanessa. I'm free Thursday night, are you? -Nerd

  I sat the phone down on the counter and scoured the cabinets, sure Bella would be hungry when she woke up. It’d been a long journey home for her.

  Yeah. -Ya Brotha

  So I had plans with Jace Thursday night to get a beer and talk about my sister, and just because he was Jace, I knew there’d be some sex advice thrown in there somewhere.

  At least I could get to the bottom of Vanessa's behavior.

  Bella came out of my room and joined me in the kitchen. I kissed her and went back to searching for food. "You didn't sleep long," I said.

  "I haven't been able to sleep worth a damn without you beside me. It's strange how quickly we adapt and come to rely on something we love."

  I gripped Bella's arms and pulled her towards me. When our bodies were flush against each other, I reached up and tucked a curl behind her ear.

  "I'll sleep beside you anytime you want me." I stared deep in her eyes, trying to show her in my look just how much I loved her.

  As far as I was concerned, she was never going to leave.

  Bella leaned forward and kissed me. "What are you doing in here anyways." She rubbed her behind against me.

  "Mmm." One hand gripped her waist, while the other pressed against her chest. "You're insatiable," I whispered into her ear.

  Bella pushed harder against me, moving her head enough to kiss me. While I wanted nothing more than to have her all over again, I had to make sure she took care of herself.

  "I'm going to make you some food, and we're going to rest on the couch and watch a movie or something. Then perhaps we'll take a bath." I pushed her away from me and turned back to finding food.

  Bella pouted for a moment, then disappeared into the bedroom.

  I made two sandwiches and put them on plates with some chips. When I got to the living room with everything, Bella walked out in nothing but one of my button up shirts, unbuttoned and hanging open. She wore a pair of tiny panties under the shirt and black, leather high heels on her feet.

  My mouth dropped open. I had the semblance to put the plate down on the table right before Bella grabbed the door flame and started to dance.

  "Oh Diò," I said.

  Bella moved closer, swaying her hips with every step. I couldn’t peel my eyes from her. She’d locked me in a trance.

  She took a seat beside me and the shirt fell open a little more. It took everything in me not to rip it off. Somehow, after a swallow, I handed her the sandwich. She never took her eyes off me as she took a bite. I was hard and ready, but I wouldn’t give in.

  I flipped the TV on and played whatever movie was in the DVD player. Bella settled in beside me and finished her sandwich. When I finished mine, I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to me. Bella grabbed my hand and held it against her ribcage. I traced small circles against her skin.

  I was content there, touching her and watching a movie. We stayed just like that for the entire movie, and when the credits rolled, I stood and held out a hand.

  "I believe I promised you a bath."

  Bella said nothing as I laced my fingers through hers and pulled her to the bathroom. I twisted on the water and plugged the drain. When I was content with the temperature, I turned back to her and slowly slipped the shirt down her arms. I stared at her, memorizing every ridge and plane of her body. I still had no idea how I got so lucky to be with someone so beautiful it made me hurt.

  Bella bit her bottom lip and stared up at me, waiting. I hooked her panties in my fingers and drug them down her legs, planting a gentle kiss to each thigh as she lifted each foot through the holes.

  I stood, offering her my hand again and helped her into the tub. When she finally sat down in the water, I stripped. I stepped in behind her and sighed as I sat in the hot water. She immediately laid back into my arms.

  "James?" Bella asked.

  "Yes, little flower?"

  I took the sponge and squirted my body wash on it, lathering it up. She was quiet until I began to wash her.

  "I quit the job. I wasn't sent home."

  I frowned but continued to wash her. "Why? Wasn't that where you wanted to take your career?"

  Bella leaned up, and I washed her back. "Absolutely, but not if it means I have to do things I don't want to do."

  "What do you mean?"

  Bella leaned against me again, and the soap rubbed into my skin as she tried to g
et comfortable again. "The guy above me, he came onto me. When I told him no, he said I wouldn't make it in that world if I wasn't willing to screw my way to the top."

  My blood ran cold. What kind of asshole would do that? "He was an idiot. It won't always be like that," I assured her.

  "I quit on the spot. I told him I’d make it on my own merit, not my body. I'm not a hooker, and more importantly, the only person I wanna be with is you."

  I smiled and started to wash her arms.

  That's my girl.

  "I love you little flower. More than you could ever know."

  Bella sat back on her knees, taking the sponge from me and rubbing it over me. "I think you have that backwards. I'm pretty sure I know exactly how much you love me, but you can't possibly know how much I love you. How much I regret not being with you sooner. I have so much time to make up for. If having my dream job means not having you, then I don't want it."

  I didn't know what to say. I didn't really know the extent of her feelings because she hadn't been as open about them as I had. Most of the time, when she got worked up, she spoke in Italian. I still hadn't managed to master it, but I could pick up on some things.

  "I'm not going anywhere."

  Bella finished washing me. While I rinsed off, she got out and wrapped a towel around her body. "It's you and me forever, you sexy ass Nerd," Bella said as she skipped out of the bathroom.

  “You know James, Colin said there was an opening at the Capcom building across from his studio. They’re hiring game developers. You should go apply,” Bella said, laying against the pillows on our bed.

  “Mmm,” I said, eyes closed and sleep threatening to take me any second.

  “I’m serious. You don’t plan on being a gopher forever, do you?” When she sat up in bed, it took every bit of strength I had to open my eyes.

  “Of course not.”

  I felt like she was setting me up for a trap and I wasn’t sure how to proceed. I wouldn’t mind a job at Capcom. It would be great, but I wanted to hold out for Nintendo. Ever since Bella quit her job a week ago, she was all about defining our lives.

  “If we are gonna make a life together, we need to start planning for the future. My job isn’t panning out the way I planned, so I’ve been considering a career switch.”