Compassion

by Neal, Xavier

  “Good.”

  “Good?”

  “Yeah. Because I love you too.”

  Relief mixed with excitement floods her body. “Yeah?”

  “How could I not?”

  The question spurs her to lunge her mouth at mine, crawling back onto my lap. I run my hands up her back. Finding myself mollified at the fact we're on the same page, I moan into the kiss prepared to demonstrate just how much I love her again and again.

  And again. It's going to be the longest, most amazing night of my fucking life. So what if the rest of my life is taking it's goddamn time to get its shit together. I have what I've learned is the most important part. Life is even more worth living when you have someone to live it with.

  Jaye

  I stretch my legs out against my crisp white sheets.

  Ugh. Hate these sheets. They may be soft but I don't like them. They're too stale. Too clean. Too...lifeless. However seeing Archer's body wrapped up in them creates an image every 16th Century painter would probably trip over themselves to capture.

  Seeing his cock start to rise under it causes me to press my lips together.

  “That's all it takes.” His head rolls over, green eyes still clouded in a sexual fog. “Just a glance that direction makes my cock rock hard.”

  A small giggle comes out. “Oh yeah?”

  He grabs my hand and wraps it around his dick. “You tell me.”

  Instinctively I begin to stroke slowly not sure I can go another around, but anxious to try. Archer senses my desire and lifts his body up. Our mouths crash together. Between hectic caresses, as if it's our first time all over again, Archer manages to roll me over onto my side, part my legs and slide inside from behind.

  Discovered that this angle is not only deep enough, but I can touch myself if I want. Also found out how much fun that could be last night too. It wasn't my first time to masturbate but it was the first time I ever did it during sex.

  With my face buried in my pillow, Archer's hand slides around the front, his fingers stroking my clit as his dick strokes my muscles on the inside. Harsh thrust after thrust is continuously delivered. Each motion tosses my head backwards. With moans transpiring so excessively and energetically it makes it difficult to restore air in my lungs.

  Suddenly his face is buried in my neck. Alternating his licks and nibbles, he confesses, “I wanna come in that perfect pussy again.”

  My eyes rolls into the back of my head. “Yes...”

  His teeth nip my ear. “You first...”

  A loud moan slips out as I surrender my body to his, beckoning his to follow suit. The two of us come in what feels like oscillation. Each time a rush from him fills me, it seems as if my body responds with another life - alter ing nating orgasm. Archer's hand slides across my body and down my arm where he folds our hands together tightly. Drowning in the emotional climax as much as the physical one, I grip harder.

  On a long, low exhale our bodies come to a halt. Archer sweetly whispers, “I love making love to you.”

  Somehow I manage to retort, “Me too...”

  Soft kisses litter my cheek and my neck before he says, “Let's go again in the shower.”

  I snicker. “Don't you need to recharge your batteries?”

  “Recharging as we speak,” he declares with a wide smile.

  The doorbell rings grabbing both of our attention. Unsure of who it could be, I roll over onto my back. “I'm gonna answer that while you get the shower started...”

  Archer gives me a peck. “Don't make me wait.”

  I use the tip of my tongue to lightly lick his bottom lip. “Not a chance.”

  There's a groan and slew of murmured cusses as he gets out of bed giving me a prime shot of his toned ass.

  In a matter of hours he's turned me into some sort of sex maniac! It's crazy! I can't get enough of his touch or his body or his taste or his smell or....I'm rambling. Gosh, I'm rambling. The door! Right!

  After slipping into a pair of pajama shorts, a sports bra, and my robe, I rush for the front door where someone has rang three times.

  Impatiently might I add.

  Cracking open the door, a gasp leaves me. “Dad!”

  He smiles. “It's a little chilly out here, sugar.”

  “Right!” I scramble to undo the chain lock to let him in. “Sorry!”

  Shaking a shiver as he steps in he says, “Still sleeping?”

  I ruffle my hair to help bury my blush. “Something like that...”

  “That's unlike you,” he comments after hugging me briefly. “You're usually an early bird who picks the sprinkles off her doughnut.”

  What! Sprinkles don't belong on that type of pastry! Oh who am I kidding? I hate sprinkles all around.

  “Late start,” I sigh following him towards my kitchen. “Coffee?”

  “If you've got it.”

  “I'll make some. No worries.” In a swift motion I start the process, the idea of Archer upstairs waiting for me gnawing at me in the back of my mind.

  Dad interrupts the thought. “Can you not hear your neighbor's next door?”

  I shake my head. “Haven't heard anything.”

  Shut up! I know it's hard to hear anything over my own screaming!

  “Serious fighting,” he says in a displeased tone. “Pretty sure I heard the shattering of glass between yelling.”

  “Did you call it in?”

  “Of course I called it in.” With a smile he adds, “I don't want anyone to get hurt.”

  “It'd probably be Mr. Prescott...”

  Dad speaks up. “What's that?”

  I clear my throat instead of repeating it. “What brings you over?”

  “You know,” he starts as I reach for the coffee mugs on the higher shelf. When I wince he questions, “You okay?”

  “New workout routine,” I attempt to brush it off.

  I'm sore in places I didn't even know you could be sore. In fact it almost feels like my muscles want to revolt but can't even muster up enough energy to do that. No way am I complaining, just...remind me stretch first. Doubt that'll even help. Thank the lord, I skipped yoga this morning. I probably would've just laid on my mat.

  He takes the excuse and sits down at the kitchen table. “Anyway, I was just...you know, in the neighborhood.”

  A skeptical look pops on my face. “Mom sent you, didn't she?”

  Dad nods. “Yeah. You haven't been by for dinner since she tried to guilt trip you about turning Doctor Mama's Boy down over a month ago. I know you've told us how crazy work has been with preparation for the spring carnival, but you know her. She worries too much. She told me if I didn't swing by to check on you she would make sure to talk through the entire basketball game tomorrow.”

  Smiling at their tactics, I shake my head. “I'm sorry, dad.”

  He gives me a small shrug. “Are you doing okay?”

  The thought of how I spent the last few hours tumbles through my head. “I'm fantastic.”

  His voice lifts. “Fantastic?”

  Thankfully the coffee informs me it's ready, so I grab it, replace the cup and prepare to make another for myself and Archer.

  When I don't answer he nods. “I'd love to see your renovations.”

  Sensing there's no way to keep him from running into Archer today, I mentally do my best to brace myself for the inevitable.

  Honestly? It's not my father I worry about. He's more likely to understand the odd situation and just be grateful that I'm happy. Besides, now that I know Archer's here to stay, that he's in love with me as much as I am him, why not? Why not show him off with pride?

  I carefully slide the hot cup over. “Sure.”

  He gives the cup a soft blow the sound of faint sirens appearing in the background.

  Cops are here. Well next door.

  Dad questions, “Is she the neighbor who you're always complaining about.”

  With a roll of my eyes I head back for the machine. “She'd be the one.”

  He chuckles. �
��The guys said she was a pain in the ass the night they came by.”

  “Understatement.”

  “We were talking about pain in the ass calls the other night. They brought her up. Then they asked me about your 'friend'.” Suddenly my heart starts to thump against my chest a little harder. “The guy you rescued from her bitter clutches. Do you remember?”

  I turn so my back is to him. “Mmhm.”

  “Who was he really?”

  Softly I reply, “A um...hungry, homeless vet.”

  “It's a shame he stumbled into her yard,” he says. “If it wasn't for you coming when you did, they would've locked him up for trespassing.”

  Pressing my lips together, I remain silent.

  “Did you end up taking him to a shelter?”

  If the opportunity to profess presents itself any clearer, it would punch me in the face. I clear my throat and turn to face my father. “I did not.”

  He tilts his head at me. “Did you just wait until you were certain the officers were gone and dismiss him?”

  “No...”

  “Jaye,” his voice goes stern.

  “I...” My voice seems to get caught in my throat. I try to push through it. “Well I...”

  “Jaye Jenkins.” Hearing my full name out of his mouth stiffens my body. “Jaye Jenkins, what exactly did you do?”

  A deep sigh escapes. “I let him stay the night.”

  “WHAT!?!”

  The sound of another cup of coffee ready causes me to turn away again.

  “You did what?!”

  “I let him spend the night in the garage,” I explain while replacing the cup to make one for Archer who should be down any minute.

  There's an angry set of stutters. Nothing coherent.

  This is going to get worse. Brace yourself.

  “And then I convinced him to move in with me so I could help him get back on his feet.” My face sheepishly faces my father’s. With another deep breath I continue, “The agreement was simple. I would give him a place to live, he'd work off his debt doing household chores and look for a job in the meantime. We-”

  “Jaye.” He cuts me off harshly. “I understand you have this uncontrollable need to shelter and help everything and everyone. You've always had it. It's why going into childcare made sense. That seemed like the easiest way to fill that hole, but this is taking it a little too far. You can't just invite random strangers to live in your home! What if he would've been an ax murder-”

  “He wasn't-”

  “You didn't know that!” For the first time since I was a teenager he yells at me. “You didn't know shit about him! He could've hurt you! He could still hurt you! I didn't raise you to be so fucking stupid!”

  Offended I shout back, “I'm not stupid!”

  “From what you just told me that's exactly how you're behaving!”

  “I don't care what you think!”

  “Oh, you don't care?”

  “No! Because it's not like that, dad. I love him.” My father’s mouth tightens. “I fell in love with him...”

  “No.” He shakes his head slowly. “You only think you've fell in love with him. You let your generosity blind side your ability to make rational decisions.”

  Before I can respond the sound of footsteps behind me has me whirling around. Seeing Archer's face now as distant as it was when I first met him, instantly breaks my heart.

  After glancing at my father, he gives me another look filled with ache. “I'm gonna go for a walk.”

  Without waiting for me to reply he turns and heads for the door. “Archer wait.” He doesn't stop. I give my father a sharp look over my shoulder and hit the machine to turn it off. " “

  “Don't you dare go after him, Jaye,” my father threatens. “You stay in the house! You let that...go.”

  “He's not a that, dad. He's a person.” I glare harshly. “A person who's had a rough, messed up life.”

  “That's not your problem!”

  “Dad-”

  “Don't make this harder, Jaye. Don't make me do something I'll regret.”

  Preparing to dash after the love of my life I snip, “Do what you have to. I'm going to.”

  As quickly as I can, I wiggle my feet into a pair of my flats and follow him outside.

  Unfortunately he's stumbled into a nightmare of a different kind.

  “Arrest him!” Mrs. Prescott shouts on her grass pointing a finger at him. “It's his trash! He's been tossing it in my garbage to frame my husband!”

  “Frame him?” Archer's voice says with such confusion. “Frame him for what?”

  “I would never cheat on my wife,” Mr. Prescott insists. “This has just been a giant misunderstanding officer that...he,” the dark haired man points to Archer, “is responsible for. I want him arrested as well for trespassing!”

  The officer closest to Archer asks, “Have you been trespassing?”

  “No sir,” Archer answer quickly.

  “He has!” Mrs. Prescott screams.

  “I have not.”

  “He's a homeless man who wanders around this neighborhood! Ask! Ask anyone they'll tell you the same thing.”

  The other cop folds his arms. “Your face does look familiar. Fits a description we had. We had been hearing complainants of a strange man wandering around, digging through trashcans, but we haven't heard 'em for the last couple of months. They seemed to just suddenly stop.”

  Archer tries, anger doing it's best not to be included in his tone. “I can explain.”

  I slowly approach the situation.

  “That's because she's been lying and hiding him! He's probably been holding her against her will!”

  “I would never do anything to hurt her!”

  Mrs. Prescott points to me. “She's probably been being raped! Look at those marks on her neck!”

  “Excuse me?” I bite in a high pitched tone.

  “I would never hurt her!” He yells stronger this time, fists curling.

  “Lower your tone sir,” the officer whose face isn't familiar warns just as his hand falls to his belt.

  “Little Jaye Jenkins,” the older officer greets me. “You're not so little anymore.”

  “Officer Green,” I greet back with a soft grin. “Nice to see you again.”

  “Oh no you don't,” Gwen growls moving closer. “That may have worked the first time you saved this useless excuse for a human being but it's not going to work this time! He needs to pay for trespassing on my property and stealing my husband’s credit card information to rent hotels and buy expensive dinners! And holding you hostage!”

  Time out. How fucking crazy does she sound right now? I mean, I'm sure finding out what a cheating jerk her husband is, probably snapped something inside of her with no ability to return from it, but these accusation are so outlandish the cops have to see through it...right? Right?

  “I uh...I wanna press charges for that too!” Mr. Prescott pipes up.

  Archer takes a step forward. “I'm not holding anyone fucking hostage!”

  “Language!” Green yells at him, his own hand falling to his belt.

  Before Archer or I have a chance to further defend him or clarify the situation, a voice joins in with such an authoritative presence I feel like the six year old version of me who broke the lamp all over again.

  It was an accident....

  “Jaye Jenkins, over here. Now.” His tone angers me to swing around and stomp towards him. Ready to tell him I have a different problem to deal with at the moment, I'm stunned quiet when he says, “Stay here. This'll only take a minute.”

  On a sigh, I watch him head for the officers, “Green. Muller.”

  “Jenkins,” they greet him in return.

  “Got your call about the domestic dispute,” Green continues, “and now they're trying to blame this gentleman for a slew of crimes including the harm of your daughter.”

  “I'm innocent,” Archer says to my father.

  My father's hand lands firmly on Archer's shoulder. “I kno
w, son. Give me a minute with these two. Why don't you go wait by Jaye?”

  Archer nods and heads towards me while Mrs. Prescott's banshee accusations get louder. In a matter of brief moments, my father not only deescalates the situation, but manages to prove the two were lying and trick Mr. Prescott into confessing about his affair.