Requiem (Remington Carter Book 2)

by Emma Cole

  Chapter Fourteen

  I drive to Alex’s place first to pick up a change of clothes.

  We walk in on Alex and Gina arguing. Again. Gina refuses to believe I'm not staying here, because my things are in the spare room. Ethan coldly interrupts her tirade to inform her that we are here to pick up the rest of my belongings. I look at him in surprise but decide it's inevitable. If they want me there, then I'll stay there.

  Ethan goes to the bedroom I point out to and begins grabbing my things. On our last trip out, Gina's boyfriend Carl comes in, and Ethan steps forward to block him. He informs Carl that staying here isn’t an option, and that if Carl tries to, Ethan will be more than happy to work pro bono for Alex to dig up whatever dirt he needs to. Alex flashes him a look of gratitude, and I'm feeling a little warm and fuzzy toward him myself.

  Ethan makes the guy leave, with Gina hot on his heels. Half an hour later, we finish getting my stuff down to the car. Alex says I don't have to leave, but I think I'm alright with moving back in with the guys. So far, they haven't had anything bad to say. Not that I've given them much of a chance to talk with me. We’ll do that tonight, though, and if for some reason it's not copacetic, then I'll take her up on the offer.

  I let Ethan know I have to make one more stop at the grocery store, and I ask him if he has any requests for dinner. He wants one of the easier meals that I made for us during the summer we met. We get to the grocery store to grab the ingredients for it, and it's at that point that I remember that I'm going to be starting my period any day. I probably need some supplies. I run and grab them, and getting back into line, I hand them directly to the clerk before he totals out the order. We gather our bags and get back out to my car.

  "Had to have those right now, huh?"

  I pretend not to know what he's alluding to. "And what, exactly, would be the problem with now?" I level up the attitude just a wee bit. If he's at all like he used to be, it'll push his buttons. Two can play the Do You Remember? game.

  "Never mind." Grumpily, he shuts the trunk and moves around to get in the passenger side. I grin while his back is turned.

  Little bits of irritation and making my point will go a long way toward making me feel better. We get home—and that's what it is, for now, anyway. Hauling the groceries upstairs, he drops them on the counter and mumbles something about taking a shower. I just smirk at his back as he keeps his hips turned away from me. I very well remember that day and reminisce as I put dinner together and the rest of the groceries up.

  In the past…

  Shit! Ethan and I were in the middle of him teaching me to do some Latin dance. It was fun and he was an excellent teacher, but our fun was being ruined by the vise-like feeling radiating from between my hipbones into my lower back. A sure sign my cycle was starting again. The cramps were making my posture off, and as much as I wanted to hang with Ethan some more, I didn’t want to have a mess to be embarrassed about.

  I stopped dancing.

  "I'm not feeling super well. Can we pick back up tomorrow?"

  Instantly, he was worried. "Of course, we can. What's wrong? Are you getting sick? We don't have to dance if you just want to watch a movie. Or I can read to you for a while."

  I wasn’t sure how to get out without being rude, but the situation had become dire. I needed to get home. Now.

  "That's okay, I think I'm just going to go home, if that's alright with you?" I phrased it as a question to be polite, but I was already gathering my things to leave. It was awkward. Like, bad awkward. I even gave a little wave as Ethan stood there a little hurt, a little bewildered. As turned to leave, he stepped into motion.

  Reaching out to snag my hand, he pulled me into his chest, and I tipped my head back to focus on him.

  "I don't know what's going on with you, but I still get kisses when you leave," he said, then leaned in and kissed each eyelid, and finally, gave me a peck on the lips before he turned me loose.

  I made it home and to my shower, stripping as I went through my bedroom. Cleaning up quickly, I thanked my lucky stars it wasn't bad. Wrapped up in a towel after taking care of business, I walked back out into my bedroom, steam following me.

  "So, what made you run out of there like that?"

  I shrieked with fright and surprise until I saw Ethan reclined on my bed, crossed arms supporting his head and bare feet poking out of pant legs below crossed ankles.

  "You asshole, you scared me! What are you doing in my bedroom?" I clutched the towel more tightly around my body.

  "No one answered. Your car was out front but there weren't any others, so I got worried and came up to see if you were alright. You didn't answer your phone."

  Well, his points were valid, if overprotective.

  Ethan seemed to realize that I still stood there in a towel. His eyes took in every detail of my terry cloth wrapped body. He'd seen me in a swimsuit, yet somehow that was different.

  I turned to my dresser and grabbed clothing to get dressed in the bathroom. Before I finished closing my drawer, Ethan hovered behind me.

  "What's up, Reese Cup? Did I do something wrong?" He rarely called me Remi anymore. Always Reese or Reese Cup. It made me feel special and I loved it.

  I sighed and decided to spill. I wasn't actually mad he had shown up; It was sweet that he cared.

  "I started my period, and I was worried it was going to go through, and that's awkward when you don't know how a person will react. So, I took off."

  He looked confused. "That's all? I thought I did something to upset you."

  Huh, well that wasn't bad at all. But I needed to find some pain reliever and a heating pad

  "Yes, that's all. Um, Ethan not to be rude, but I'm really uncomfortable and need to get dressed.

  He looked crestfallen. "Of course! I'm sorry, I didn't mean be a perv, even if you are hot in that towel."

  "I'm not uncomfortable with you seeing me in a towel, I mean I'm cramping and need to deal with it."

  "Oh." Then, like a lightbulb went off, he says, "Oh! Yes, I'll help. What do you need?"

  For a moment I bit my lip in indecision. "A heating pad, a coffee, and some Tylenol."

  He nodded like it was a normal, everyday occurrence. "I can handle coffee. Be right back."

  I got dressed in loose capri lounge pants and a racer back tank. Going to my bathroom cupboard, I fished out the heating pad from underneath and the Tylenol from the mirrored cabinet. I got the pad plugged in and settled on my bed as Ethan came back with a tray. He'd brought two mugs and a whole carafe of coffee, along with the cream pitcher and sugar dish. He was the sweetest and I told him so.

  He actually blushed a bit, and I smiled at how cute his tinted cheeks were. His auburn hair and freckles stood out more when he was flushed.

  I patted the bed next to me indicating he should join me. "Want to watch something?"

  He nodded yes and I handed him the remote.

  He flipped through the guide and picked a DIY show that was almost over and then a popular cooking contest came on. Throughout, he kept shooting me looks. I got up to use the bathroom after all the coffee, when I came back and settled in again, he didn't unpause the television.

  "Something wrong?" I asked.

  He didn’t say anything for a minute. Finally, he spoke up, his tone serious. "Orgasms help with cramps."

  Well, okay.

  "Yeah… not gonna try that theory in front of you, Ethan."

  "Didn't say you had to."

  "Alright, well, maybe I'll try later."

  "We could try now," he said.

  We? There's no we and period. That should fall into oxymoron category.

  "We can finish this show,” I said. “And how exactly would you be knowing about this? Help a lot of girls with period cramps and getting off?"

  That made him grumpy. "No, you know I haven't really been interested in females. I read it in a magazine while we were waiting in line at the store the other day "

  I nodded. Yes, I remembered the magazine. I'd
teased him over it.

  "Hmmm...well maybe. But for now, show." I pointed to the remote and hit play.

  Ethan pulled me over to rest my back against his chest. Tipping my head, back I eyeballed him suspiciously. He just smirked. Ass. I was getting into the harsh judging of the show when his hand slipped under the hem of my shirt onto my abdomen. I tensed at first but relaxed when he started rubbing in small circles.

  Oh, that's nice. After a bit, I closed my eyes and settled in more fully. Until his fingertips dipped under the edge of my pants. He spoke softly into my ear before I could protest.

  "I'll stop if you want. If it makes you uncomfortable. Don't stop because you're embarrassed. Promise, I don't care." He really didn't, care that is, if the hardness behind my hip was any indication. I nodded with silent permission.

  He moved lower, into my panties. Fingertips brushed my clit. Of course, it was dry. Not sure he'd thought this out. Luckily, I was wearing a tampon and not a pad.

  His next move surprised me and made me blush.

  He pulled his hand out and stuck those fingers in his mouth, getting them wet before he returned them to glide easily through the top of my folds to get to my clit. Before long, I'd forgotten about my cramps and could feel the moisture gathered around my opening despite the tampon. As if the flush that had spread up my chest was his hint to delve further, he shifted his arm to dip his thumb down. Slightly apprehensive yet not wanting him to stop and trusting that what he said was true, I didn't shy away. He dragged the wetness up before he started working me with his thumb, while his fingers move just inside encountering the barrier.

  He hooked the tip to slide next, to it rubbing that sensitive spot in conjunction with his thumb. His other arm came around my shoulder to tilt my chin back, and his lips took mine, tongue sliding in for a lazy, thorough kiss. He dropped his hand to cradle around my chest and dipped long fingers into the cup of my bra to twist and pull at my nipple, ramping up my desire.

  Moaning into his mouth, hips moving in rhythm, and his erection grinding in my back behind me, the sensations drew me to a peak in minutes.

  I was boneless as soon as it passed, and Ethan removed his hand. Thankfully, it wasn't as messy as I'd thought it would be. I lifted up when he moved, so he could go wash his hands. I noticed when he came back that there was still a prominent bulge in his pants.

  "So? Did it work?"

  I was confused for a second, then realized what he meant. "It actually did! Huh, I thought you were just being a perv."

  He smirked at me. "That was just a side benefit." Bossy, know it all.

  I rolled my eyes at him before I focused back on my original intention. "What about you, though?"

  He didn't pretend not to know what I meant. "I'm fine, I know how to take care of it myself if I want to."

  I screwed up my nose. "What if I want to? Take care of it, I mean."

  Ethan froze and looked at me, searching my face. “Take care of it how? Reese Cup, you don’t have to do anything. You know that, right?”

  “Of course, I know that. I want to.”

  I stalked toward him after climbing off the bed. He seemed a little nervous. It made me feel sexy, powerful.

  Grabbing onto his shirt, I reeled him in. Placed a kiss on his pouty lips, then trailed down his cheek to his neck, taking little nips as I went, making him tense as his breathing escalated. I pushed him back onto my bed and once he was sitting, I pushed further until he laid back with his legs hanging over the edge. I worked his shirt up over his taut abs and continued my love bites. The hardness under the zipper of his jeans beckoned me. I reached the waistband of his jeans and glanced up to gauge Ethan’s reaction. I had his full attention.

  I slowly lowered the zipper. I wouldn't want to accidentally catch anything, what a mood breaker. All that stood in my way now were the black boxer briefs he wore. I worked his jeans down just enough that I could see the full outline of his penis and had enough room to work.

  I could see the tip of the head poking up making a gap between his skin and the elastic waistband. I glanced up a bit shyly now before I darted my tongue out to swipe over it. It had a drop of slick moisture that had an intriguing taste. So different from what my own body produced. The fact that I tasted him, must have done it for him, because he bucked his hips up with a groan.

  I was torn between keeping eye contact and inspecting what I'd revealed beneath his shorts.

  The warm, hard flesh won my attention as I freed it completely. He was roughly about the same size I remembered from the twins, maybe a tad thicker. I pushed those thoughts away, not wanting them to intrude on our moment.

  Sitting up high on my knees to readjust for a better angle, I dipped my head down to lick around the crown of silky skin. It was so smooth and warm and had its own unique scent. Not a bad one, just different than the rest of his body.

  Experimentally, I sucked the tip into my wet mouth and earned another groan. I started to grin but quickly pulled my lips back over my teeth. Geez, let’s not maim him with your first BJ, Remi girl. I took more and more of his hardness in, until I felt I had all I could handle. I pulled back, keeping suction, then repeated the motions. I paused when Ethan reached down to guide one of my hands that rested on his thigh, moving it up to wrap partially around the area I couldn't fit in my mouth. With a firm squeeze, I took his direction and started moving my hand in tandem with the strokes of my bobbing head. The saliva that escaped my lips around his dick was messy but made excellent lubrication for my hand. I looked up again to find Ethan had propped himself up on an elbow and was intently watching with heated eyes and a taut mask over his face.

  He reached down to encircle the base of his shaft in a partial fist making it feel that much harder.

  In a pained voice he gritted out, “I can’t hold it much longer, Reese Cup… you gotta let go.” I then realized his death grip on his cock was to keep from coming in my mouth. I pulled off with a pop, and he reclined back to cup his other hand over the top, while stroking himself off with the other. I waited until he seized up to make my move. He’d kept eye contact and registered the devilish look I’d sported, when I pushed his hands out of the way to suck as far and fast as I could. With a tic of muscles under the skin of his penis, warm, thick jets shot out onto the back of my tongue. I swallowed quickly before it could overflow and escape back out. When he muttered, “Too much!” I slowed down and gentled the motions as I lazily swept my tongue over his slit to collect the last of his cum.

  That wasn’t half bad. I don’t know what other girls are bitching about.

  “Fuck… babe, that was hot and so, so good. Come ‘ere.” He pulled me up, not bothering to tuck himself away yet and attacked my mouth with the most intense, sweetest kiss ever. “I love you Reese Cup,” he murmured as he pulled back. I was so shocked I wasn't sure how to respond. I did too, love him that is. But I was nervous.

  The thoughts of the others tried to intrude, and again, I buried them. I wouldn't let that heartache cause another.

  “Well, that’s a good thing, because I love you, too.” Before we could get too mushy, I popped off with, “I guess that’s what’s called polishing a knob?”

  I snickered at the expression on Ethan’s face and darted away before he could retaliate. I needed to clean up anyway, so I got a new pair of underwear from my dresser to take into the bathroom with me.

  In the present…

  The memory fades as the beeping from the oven signals it’s done preheating, and I jar back into the motions of putting dinner away. I’m not sure if I should feel guilty or not about fantasizing about Ethan. Technically, it was a memory, but I also used it to flirt with him. Eli had seemed, if not okay with it, at least resigned to being open to sharing me. Or something like that. I’m still not sure what he’s after.

  I finish prepping the casserole and popped it in the oven to get bubbly. I’m peeling the first of the labels off the canned crescent rolls, when Beck strides in full of energy.

  He’s de
finitely the edgier of the two, and even if I weren’t able to tell them apart, his piercings would give him away. I've noticed he likes to play with his lip ring a lot, and I think I've seen the shine of silver in his mouth. I bet he has a tongue ring, too. Their haircuts are almost identical, but the ear full of studs and the lip, as well as their manner of dressing, set them apart. When I’m not so irritated, I’ll find out what other piercings and tattoos they have, if any. I wonder if any of them have their junk pierced.

  I catch myself eyeing the crotch of his jeans a little too blatantly. Glancing up, I find his attention focused on the oven, and I internally sigh in relief. What the heck is going on with me? I’ve never been so conflicted over my attraction to males.

  I startle when Beck shouts gleefully, “Wop biscuits!” He takes one long stride to the island, where I was unwrapping the tubes of dough, and picks one up before smacking it back down on the granite countertop resulting in a ‘pop.’ The seam splits releasing its contents, along with the yeasty scent.

  “I feel like this should be self-explanatory, but why exactly do you call them wop biscuits?” I eye him while he looks back at me incredulously, like I should know the answer already.

  “Umm… because that’s what you do with them.” At my blank stare he elaborates, “You ‘wop’ them and they pop.” He demonstrates by picking up another one and smacking it down. Except it doesn’t do anything. He glares at it and attempts it again. I giggle realizing the problem.

  “You have to unwrap it first, silly.” I take it from him and peel the corner to unravel the paper. He tries to take it back, but I hold it out behind my back, and when he leans over to reach around me, I swing my arm up, bopping him on the head with it. ‘Pop!’ I laugh out loud, now unable to hold it in at the shocked expression on his face.

  “Oh, Duckie, I didn’t know you still had it in you. You do remember what happens when you hit me in the head with food, right?”

  Remembrance slams into me at the tickle take-downs we’d had when I’d lie in wait at our tree to pelt them with the apples I’d collected. The apples had gotten bigger as the season had passed and weren’t the small missiles I’d originally thrown.