The Milkman

by Tabatha Kiss

  “I don’t care about what we should do,” I say. “Do you?”

  She bites her lip. “Now you’re sounding like me.”

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  “Depends on who you ask, I guess.”

  I kneel in front of her and take hold of her ankles one at a time, drawing them up to slide the boots back off.

  “Will.”

  I move in and cup her face before she can protest. “Stay with me, Jovie.”

  I kiss her again and her lips quiver against mine.

  “We shouldn’t...” Her voice is weak, sitting on the edge of reason but I won’t force her over.

  “And we won’t,” I say, guiding her onto the mattress. Her head meets my pillow and I lay beside her, balanced on my elbow as my left hand caresses her cheek. “I just want to spend the night beside you again.”

  She clings to me with bated breath. “And what about tomorrow morning?” she asks.

  I smile as I brush the edge of her lips with my thumb. “I’ll think of something.”

  We kiss again, holding fast in each other’s arms until we’re both too tired to keep our eyes open.

  Eighteen

  Jovie

  I feel him before I wake up.

  His calm breath touches the back of my neck. He lies on his side with one arm wrapped around me, spooning me against his chest. For a second, I wonder how we ended up in this position, but it’s obvious.

  Because we wanted to.

  I open my eyes and look around his room without moving. The night before comes flooding back to me. Two lives that drifted apart but somehow ended up right back in the same place again.

  I feel him stir and quickly pause,probably halting to think the same questions I just asked myself.

  I spin around onto my back to see his face. Will props himself up on his elbow, keeping his other hand on my abdomen.

  “Hey,” I whisper.

  He blinks his tired eyes. “Hey...”

  We breathe slowly, daring the other to say something first but we just end up staring instead. I wouldn’t know what to say even if I could. Should I thank him for a pleasant night and roll off the mattress as if we didn’t wake up like this? Or should I tell him that this was amazing and I haven’t slept this well in ages?

  Will’s thumb caresses my arm. Finally, he lets out the breath he’s holding as his eyes fall to my lips.

  “Fuck it.”

  He kisses me, crushing his mouth on mine and I kiss him back as I run my fingers through his thick hair. His hand shifts down my body, aiming to crawl beneath my dress but I don’t stop it. I do the same to him, touching his abs beneath his shirt as his hand reaches between my thighs.

  “Wait— wait,” I pause. “What time is it?”

  “Uhh…” Will reaches over to turn the clock on the bedside table. “Almost nine.”

  “Shit.”

  “Why?”

  I exhale. “I have to be at the store by ten.”

  “Oh…” He furrows his brow. “Shit.”

  I nod. “Yeah. Do you work today?”

  “No, I have Saturdays off.”

  “Lucky.” I push up onto my elbows. “Guess we’ll have to rain check this part.”

  “Sure.” He presses his lips together, his eyes still lustful and wild. “But… you don’t have to leave right this second, do you?”

  I think for a moment. “No.”

  His head drops to my chest. “Good.”

  He kisses my neckline, slowly moving up to my throat, making me lose my cool again as a sharp throbbing takes hold of my core.

  “So, what do you do?” I ask, my voice panicked and high-pitched.

  “What do you mean?”

  “With like…” I try to focus on anything but his tongue gliding along my collarbone. “Work. What do you do?”

  His breath drifts along my neck. “I fix cars.”

  “Yeah, but how? A car comes in for a tune-up… What do you do?”

  Will pushes back onto his knees, his sly eyes narrowing with the rise of his smirk. “Well... first thing... I check the outside for scratches and dents that might need attention.”

  He lays his hands on my calves and slowly slides up to my thighs. I laugh and shiver as they continue upward to my hips.

  “Kick the tires...” he continues, his hands still moving. “Inspect the headlights...”

  He cups my breasts, just barely squeezing as he licks his lips. I smile wide, feeling my fingers twitch and my toes curl.

  “Then…” he places his hands beneath my knees, “I pop the hood.”

  I gasp as he yanks upward and I slip onto my back. He slowly slides my dress upward until my panties are exposed. We make eye contact as he hooks his fingers along the elastic lining and he waits to see if I’ll stop him.

  I should stop him but my tongue turns to jelly in my mouth. I don’t say a word as he pulls my underwear down my thighs. Desire bends my knees and draws my ankles together to let him take them all the way off. He tosses them to the floor and puts a little pressure on my knees to spread them wide again.

  Will gazes down at me, his lips parting slightly. “I check the oil,” he says.

  His hand crawls between my thighs while his eyes stay on mine. He draws a slow line along my open slit, inching down to my entrance. I bite my lip and hold my breath, pulsing repeatedly until I feel his finger slide inside. My jaw drops open and I tighten around his knuckles with each slow and smooth stroke he gives me.

  Will pulls his finger out and looks at it. He tilts his head and hums. “Not bad,” he says, bringing it to his lips. “But we should probably top that up just to be safe.”

  He sticks his finger in his mouth and sucks it clean. My thighs quiver against him as he shifts down to kiss me. I taste myself on his tongue. I feel his erection pressing against my hip. His lust burns with his warm breath. I lie still, too numb to move, as he descends my body. He lingers between my thighs, leaving soft kisses along my skin inches away from the brutal throbbing of my clit.

  I chuckle through my teeth. “This is a little more than rounding first…”

  Will licks his smirking lips. “I’ll take the penalty, coach.”

  His tongue touches my clit, forcing me to inhale a deep, sharp breath as pleasure fires up my spine. My entire body locks up and my muscles burn as he owns me one firm lap at a time. I grip his hair, pulling him closer and he thrusts his tongue inside of me.

  I pinch my eyes closed, blocking the white lights and blurred vision. He plays me so easily, as if he never forgot exactly how to get me off and how to do it quickly. He slides his tongue out, only to replace it with two long fingers. I squirm beneath him, trapped and controlled by the perfect stroke of his fingertips and the firm touch of his tongue.

  I lose my words to moans and screams. My legs twitch on their own and my nails dig into his scalp. He moans, too, sending vibrations through my core. My back arches as the tension breaks and Will watches my climax with the same smirking eyes as he always did before.

  Everything aches and burns but I don’t want it to end. I instantly miss his fingers as he slides them out of me and nearly shed a tear as he leaves one last kiss on my mound before leaning back and wiping his mouth.

  I push up onto my elbows as he guides my dress down to rest on my thighs. “Such a gentleman.”

  “Oh, I’ve always been gentle,” he says.

  I smile. “A little too gentle sometimes, if I recall.”

  He crawls closer. “You never complained before.”

  “Not complaining now, either... but if we’re going to start talking penalties...” I kiss his forehead and he grins, “then things might get a little rough.”

  “One step at a time,” he says, settling beside me. “But I’m listening…”

  He kisses my neck, sending more shocks down my spine. I reach for his zipper and slide it open while his breath quickens against my skin. My tongue salivates, delightfully thirsty for him as I wrap my fingers around his hardness.
/>
  “Oh, Jovie…” He chuckles. I stroke him slowly and he sighs, barely able to contain the groan in the back of his throat. “Fuck.”

  I smile and kiss his neck, feeling his fingers digging into my skin as I travel downward. He shifts up, allowing for me to slide his jeans down. I take hold of his cock and admire it for a moment, letting my head fill with nostalgic memories, before taking his tip between my lips.

  “Oh, fuck…” he says again, laughing harder as I suck the precum from his tip.

  He reacts to every tap and lick of my tongue. Even the rough edge of my teeth brings him pleasure. I watch him move beneath me, feeling the tight twist of his grip on the back of my head as he pulls me closer and sends his cock further back into my throat. I moan to vibrate his shaft and his hips jerk and he inhales a sharp breath. I let the slick and warm sensations dazzle my tongue and I bob my head until I hear him groan my name.

  “Jovie…” he grunts. “Just like that.”

  I feel up his body, touching his pecs and abs and he laughs, his eyes fluttering with lust. He takes hold of one of my hands and squeezes tight, signaling an impending climax. I keep steady, waiting for his sweetness to splash my tongue any second now.

  Will moans one more time and I feel it burst. I let it spread along my taste buds. It tickles my throat on the way down. There’s so much of it, I take it in two gulps before I slide him from my numb lips.

  I sit back and touch my smiling mouth with my fingertips.

  “What?” he asks, craning his neck to look at me.

  “Nothing,” I say, enjoying his lingering taste. “I forgot how sweet you were.”

  He grins. “Come here…”

  The doorbells rings and I freeze an inch away from his kiss.

  “Uh-oh,” I mutter.

  Will shifts forward as I fall to the side. “Wait here.” He smirks at me. “Don’t get up.”

  “Any idea who it is?”

  “No…”

  There’s a pounding on the door, growing louder and we both pause to stare at each other.

  He furrows his brow. “Okay, maybe you should get up.”

  “Oh, I agree.”

  I point to my underwear on the floor as he slides into a pair of lounge pants. “Would you kindly?” Will grabs them and hands them to me. “Thank you.”

  He stops to kiss me one more time before heading into the living room. “Be right back,” he says.

  I stand up and push my dress down to my knees. “Should I sneak out the back?”

  “Not yet. Just keep quiet.”

  I smile and nod. “Okay.”

  Will walks away and I linger behind in the bedroom, holding my breath to stay silent as he unlocks the door.

  “I’ve been calling you all morning, Will. Where is your phone?”

  I cringe. It’s Sara.

  Nineteen

  Will

  I plant myself between my sister and my living room, trying to look as casual as possible. Andy stands beside her with his backpack strapped on his shoulders and a wide grin on his face.

  “Hi, Uncle Will!”

  “Hey, buddy,” I say. “What’s going on?”

  Sara gawks at me. “I asked you to watch him, remember? I have to meet with the P-A-R-T-Y committee to finish arrangements for his B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y in the S-Q-U-A-R-E today.”

  I blink through the mess of letters. “That’s today?”

  “Yes — a fact I could have reminded you of last night but you hung up on me. Did you even read my texts?”

  “Sorry,” I say, stepping to the side. “Come on in, Andy.”

  Sara releases his hand and he rushes in while she scans over my shoulder. “Did you have company?”

  I glance behind me at the empty pizza boxes and beer cans. “No, just a rough night,” I say quickly.

  She squints. “Yeah, I heard about your little date with Jovie. It didn’t go so well, did it? Not that I’m surprised…”

  “No, it did not.”

  “Well, you’re better off without her.”

  I ignore it. “When are you picking him back up?”

  “A few hours...” She lowers to a whisper. “The party is at noon. Be there by eleven-thirty, please.”

  “Cool.” I nod.

  “Who are you?”

  I spin around, hearing Andy’s voice in the hallway and my chest tightens. “Hey, Andy, buddy… come on back in here…”

  Sara brushes past me and I exhale as she charges through my living room to catch up with him. I close the door and follow them as Sara crosses her arms in disappointment.

  “Hey, Jovie,” she says through her teeth.

  “Hello, Sara.”

  Jovie lets out a soft chuckle from my bedroom doorway. She’s fully-clothed, thankfully, but there’s not a damn thing to be said to convince my sister that was always the case.

  “Who are you?” Andy asks her again.

  “Oh, I’m just…” she gestures at me, “I’m just an old friend of your uncle’s.”

  I nudge his shoulder. “You remember Jovie, right?” I ask him. “The nice lady from the toy store?”

  Jovie nods. “That, too. You might not recognize me without the very flattering red smock.”

  Sara glares at me. “And what is she doing here?”

  I go blank but awkward moments were always Jovie’s forte.

  “I dropped by on my way to work,” she says, raising her hand to hold up a CD from my shelf. “I loaned him this years ago and he never gave it back.”

  I follow her lead. “Well, you didn’t exactly leave a forwarding address, Jove.”

  “Uh-huh,” she says, stepping forward. “Anyway, I guess our stuff is square now.”

  “I guess so,” I say, furrowing my brow.

  She passes by us. “Bye.”

  “Bye.”

  Sara stares her down, barely blinking until the front door opens and closes again. Once it does, her eyes shift in my direction like armed missiles preparing to strike. “Andy, go back to the living room, please,” she says to him.

  He obeys her and jogs off to plant himself in front of my television.

  I take a deep breath in preparation as Sara’s eyes flash red.

  “She dropped by to claim a CD?” she asks.

  “Yeah,” I answer.

  “Oh, please. Even she’s not too broke to own an iPod. What was she really doing here?”

  I shake my head. “Nothing you haven’t already made up your mind about.”

  She lets out an annoyed grunt. “Well, don’t let her drop by while Andy’s here. I don’t want her around my son.”

  “That’s fine.”

  “That’s fine?”

  “You’re the parent, aren’t you?”

  Her brow arches. “And you should stay away from her, too.”

  “Sara, you’re Andy’sparent. Not mine,” I argue, keeping an even tone. “You have every right to say how you want your son to be raised and to tell me what not to expose him to while he’s under my care, but that’s where the line is. You don’t get to tell me what to do or who to spend my time with.”

  She adjusts her purse strap higher up her shoulder. “I can hear her tone in your voice already,” she says, turning away. “She’s not dropping by the party today, is she?”

  “She’s working. So, no.”

  “Good.” She walks away, pausing over her son to kiss his head on the way to the door. “Andy, have fun. I’ll be back in a few hours.”

  “Okay, Mommy.”

  The door slams behind her. Andy stands up and peeks out the window and I join him to watch as she climbs into her car.

  “Is she mad?” he asks me.

  “A little.” I nod. “Not at you, though. She’s mad at me, so don’t worry about it.”

  “Why?” He stares up at me. “What did you do?”

  “Well…” I lower to his level by leaning down with my hands on my knees. “You know the nice toy store lady?”

  “Yeah.”

  “She and I h
ave a complicated history together and your mommy is a little scared that we might repeat it.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I didn’t handle the fallout well last time,” I explain. “You’re too young to remember this but when you first met me, I wasn’t doing so hot.”

  “Why?”

  “Because breaking up with Jovie was a mistake that I never quite got over.”

  “Why?”

  “Dude, you saw how pretty she is. Girls might be full of cooties to you now but give it a few years and you’ll probably have a Jovie or two under your belt. Trust me.”

  His head tilts. “Can we watch shark attack videos again?”

  I smile. “You’re pretty hardcore for a four-year-old, you know that, buddy?”

  Andy nods.

  Twenty

  Jovie

  I pretend to wipe down the windows as I stare out at the birthday party in the town square.

  The streamers and balloons were already hanging around by the time I got to work. Presents and cupcakes all stacked up on a table with a cooler full of tiny, individual cups of ice cream. Loud music, fun games, free prizes for all.

  And I wasn’t invited.

  Not that I ever expected to be invited to a birthday party for Sara Myers’ spawn but I’m fairly sure everyone else has passed by the toy store windows at least once with smiles and sprinkles on their mouths.

  My eyes land on Will and mine aren’t the only ones.

  He races across the grass at half speed with Andy and a dozen other children trailing behind him. He fakes a trip to his knees and they all dogpile on him, laughing and shrieking, while other women all over the place stare and swoon over him. A hard-working, educated man with that body and a fondness for children? I can practically hear their ovaries bursting from behind this glass.

  I’d feel jealous but he ate me out this morning and I performed some of my best work on him, so...

  Sorry, ladies. He’s a little taken at the moment.

  I abandon the window and wander back over to the cash register to sit down for a little bit. The entrance bell chimes behind me and a woman emerges with a cupcake sitting on a napkin in her palm and a warm smile on her motherly face.