“You’ve got the most gorgeous rack,” Brianna commented.
Rather than saying thanks, Rhea kissed her, reaching around to cup her perky little ass with both hands.
Brianna moaned against her lips: “You’re getting me so wet.”
“What—really?” That was a little too easy. She was lying. “No—”
“Really,” insisted Brianna. “Hey, can I tell you a secret?”
“Of course.”
“Just being near you is so exciting that by the time I get home after we’ve hung out, I have to get fresh underwear.”
Rhea looked at her in utter disbelief, thinking she’d been the only one to have that problem all this time. “You liar.”
“I swear on the sperm donor’s grave. Don’t believe me?” She reached around and pulled Rhea’s left hand from her ass cheek, guiding it between her legs.
“Oh holy sh—” Rhea lifted her glistening fingers. There was nowhere she could dry them. After letting the implications of Brianna’s confession sink in, Rhea caught her gaze, and brought those fingertips to her lips.
“Oh my God Rhea—” Brianna gasped.
She suckled tentatively, her eyebrows quirking at the flavor. Rhea didn’t know what to expect but she was sure she was imagining fruity undertones. Maybe that was to preemptively stave off any gagging at the thought of what she was doing.
She ultimately decided it wasn’t objectionable. Far from it, actually. Hell, it could become addictive. An upshot of heavy caffeine consumption maybe? Focus, Rhea, focus!
Brianna pushed Rhea down to the couch, kissing her on the mouth before traveling her body with lips and hands.
Rhea’s fingers curled around the edge of the couch cushions and she moaned as Brianna’s mouth settled against her clit. She had no earthly clue what Brianna was doing down there, but it was sublime. Brianna even had something over Adam: not a hint of five o’clock shadow to scratch against her delicate, sensitive skin. Just smoothness, softness and oh, so wonderfulness.
Brianna coaxed out Rhea’s climax like satin bedsheets being drawn down her body, except at the end, she felt electrified, as though all her cells wanted to go every direction at once.
Brianna came up for air, brushing her chin against her shoulder.
Rhea took several moments to catch her breath. “Holy—oh, my God. I wanna try that on you.”
“I hoped you would,” said Brianna, her voice high and giddy.
They switched places, Rhea still trembling as she kneeled beside the couch. Brianna settled in and spread her legs, dew glistening on her smooth lips. They looked like the petals of a flower after a spring sunrise, her clit a peach pearl Rhea found at their apex. She brushed by it with her thumb, watching Brianna’s smile grow.
“You tease—”
It took a bit of steeling her nerves before Rhea had the courage to kiss her mound.
Brianna gasped, her glorious chest rising and falling in exaggerated spasm. Damn. I should have played with those more. She tickled Brianna’s clit with the tip of her tongue. Maybe later. Or next time. Later next time. Seriously? ‘Next time?’
Hey, dummy. Pay attention to her!
Rhea closed her eyes, continuing to kiss and suck on her pussy, feeling Brianna gyrate against her mouth, listening to her gasps and moans. It was surreal. When she was confident her knees would support her, Rhea shifted in her spot, sneaking a couple fingers inside her.
“Rhea—” moaned Brianna.
“Mmhmm?” Rhea slid her fingers in and out a few times, pleased with the relative lack of friction.
“I—I can’t—”
Rhea tried not to smile, switching to a come-hither motion she enjoyed, herself, easily locating a more textured patch with her fingertips. Is that her g-spot?
“Shit, I’m coming—”
Yep.
Brianna cried out, grabbing Rhea’s hair a few moments later to push her away. Rhea landed on her butt, watching Brianna’s breasts heave while she panted.
Whoa, Rhea thought, pleased with herself. How very romance novel!
It was silent until Brianna caught her breath and looked down at Rhea. “Wow.”
“Really?” Rhea smiled.
“Oh take a fucking compliment already.” Brianna reclined on the couch, beckoning for Rhea to join her.
She wrapped her arms around Rhea’s chest, her silken legs resting atop Rhea’s. She sighed, nuzzling and kissing her on the neck. “I never imagined it could be like that.”
Rhea smiled, staring at Brianna’s ceiling. The ceiling which, in a few weeks, would also be hers.
Things were going to be okay.
Brianna cupped Rhea’s breast, teasing her nipple.
No. Things are gonna be great.
It was a crying shame she couldn’t write about this on her blog. No one could know; they’d think she was a two-timing skank.
Actually, the secret thing makes it even hotter. Holy shit.
“Whatcha thinking about?” Brianna asked.
“Oh . . . Nothing . . .” Rhea slid her fingertips down Brianna’s arm. “Just wondering who turned who.”
“Wait—what?”
“You know, as far as everyone’s concerned we were both straight. So did I turn you gay or did you turn me?”
“Oh honey, isn’t it obvious?” Brianna laughed. “I turned you.”
Rhea craned her neck to look at Brianna. “How the hell do you figure?”
“Because I instigated?”
“But I’ve crushed on you for forever. That’s gotta be worth at least something.” Rhea exhaled. “I really wish I’d had the guts to pursue this fantasy earlier.”
“You ‘n’ me, both.”
“I was thinking for next time I kinda want to get you off while pleasuring myself.”
“Oh my God no way.” Brianna smiled. “I had that thought, too. It’s good to have goals.”
Rhea frowned. “Stuff like this makes it really difficult to want to get exclusive with Adam.”
“So maybe don’t. Stay single, move in with me and let’s see how nasty we can get together.”
“But I want to be exclusive with him. I love him. I’m in love with him.”
Brianna gasped. “Wait a minute. Adam. Is that Surfer Boy’s real name?”
Rhea nodded.
“And . . . you’re in love with him?”
Again, Rhea nodded.
“Why did you have sex with me then? I mean, I’m not complaining or anything but it seems counterintuitive to sleep with me when you’re balls deep in love with him.”
“Well . . .” Rhea took a deep breath. “Because of how and when we met, Adam was afraid of being my rebound. We agreed to sleep with other people before we committed to each other. To be more exact, he wanted me to sleep with someone else and I flat-out refused unless he was doing the same thing. I wanted it to be fair.”
“Makes sense?” Brianna gave a half-hearted smile.
“Do you think this will count as sex for those purposes?” Rhea shook her head at herself, wriggled out of Brianna’s embrace, and picked up her pants. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter.” Her underwear fell from the pocket and landed on the floor.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing.” Rhea pulled on her pants and stuffed her underwear back into the pocket. “It’s nothing.” Now the crotch of her jeans were wet and uncomfortable. Damn Huvie’s cat.
Brianna frowned. “Rhea . . . what’s going on? Why did you have panties in your pocket?”
“I may have sorta . . . been with a guy before coming here.”
“What.”
“If I’d known you and I were gonna happen, I wouldn’t have gone out with him. I just used him for sex so I could tell Adam.” Well. I sound awful. She cringed. “In retrospect, I could’ve just lied about it. Wish I had.”
“Who was it?” asked Brianna. “Somebody I know?”
Rhea focused on dressing, slipping on the bra and adjusting herself in it. “It was Huvie. Really it�
��s no big deal. I’m never seeing him again unless I decide on another tattoo.” And maybe not even then.
“Huvie?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“Yeah.” Rhea glanced at her. “It wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, trust me.”
“Rhea,” she cried, yanking the throw cover down over her nakedness. “How could you!”
A chill washed down Rhea’s body, her stomach tumbling toward the floor. “How—how could I what?”
“I’ve been crushing on that asshole for forever. And you just fucked him?”
“I’m sorry,” Rhea yelped. “I didn’t know you had feelings for him. I’d never have slept with him if you’d told me.”
Brianna’s voice wavered with the threat of tears as she said, “I can’t stand the sight of your face anymore. You need to go.”
Stooping to grab her shirt, Rhea was certain she would puke. She straightened and pulled the shirt on. “I can’t leave. Huvie drove me here.”
“Oh my God. Oh my God! Get out, Rhea!” A steady stream of tears shimmered against Brianna’s flushed cheeks. “I don’t give a rat’s ass how you get home. Take a cab, a bus, for shit’s sake walk. Just get the fuck away from me!”
“You have got to be kidding. Do you even know how cold it is outside?”
“Get out, get out, get out!”
Without another word, Rhea grabbed her coat and purse, fleeing Brianna’s apartment. She barely cleared the threshold before Brianna slammed the door behind her.
Rhea was in a fog as she hustled through the community, yanking her coat on.
She had no idea how she got to be standing in the dim, yellow spot of light from a street lamp in front of the complex; shivering and disoriented as her heart throbbed in her throat, her juices probably freezing to her girl bits through the crotch of her jeans. It was probably best if they froze off so she couldn’t ever enjoy them again.
She figured she deserved to be spayed for what she’d done that day alone.
Here I am. Thousands of miles from family, no one here to come to my rescue, thirty miles from home. And I’m freezing my dumb fat ass off.
Calling anybody from work to help her was out of the question.
Maybe I could try Uber. Will someone get me this late? Rhea checked the time on her phone. 10:55.
Do they even cater to losers? Idiot whores? A sorry sack of human shit like me?
Stop it.
Stop it!
Brianna’s the only one who hates me. Plenty of others around who don’t. Like—
“Huvie,” Rhea whispered in realization. He had, after all, told her to call him. With shaking hands and numb fingers, she scrolled through her call log for a number she hadn’t yet added to her contacts: the incoming ‘unsaved number’ from that morning.
She took a steadying breath and placed the call.
After two rings: “Hello?”
Judging by his salutation, Rhea guessed he hadn’t added her to his contacts, either. That hurt more than it had any right to.
“Huvie?” she greeted him through chattering teeth. “Hey. It’s Rhea.” When he didn’t say anything immediately she added, “Rhea Josse?”
“Oh hey, baby. I wasn’t expecting a booty call so soon. I haven’t even gotten my sheets back from laundry—”
“It’s no booty call. I kinda . . .” She inhaled and blurted, “I need a lift.”
“What?”
“I’m stranded at Brianna’s, I’m outside, it’s fucking freezing, and I need a ride back to my place.”
“Yeah, sure, okay. I’ll be right there, hang tight.”
Rhea collapsed into the passenger seat of Huvie’s car with a relieved sigh. The heater was blasting and she’d never been more grateful for the warmth. “Thank you so much.”
She closed the door and shed her coat, sparing a quick glance at her crotch; she’d soaked right through her jeans. And Huvie noticed, his gaze trained nowhere near her face. Or even her chest. Rhea buckled her seatbelt and said, “You’re a real life-saver. I owe you one.”
“Oh you know I’m gonna ask what happened—”
“Don’t.” Rhea held up her hand to him. He was probably curious why she looked as though she’d pissed herself, and he likely feared she’d leave urine stains on his car seat. “Don’t.” She draped her coat across her lap and tried not to think of how uncomfortable she was. “It’s nothing.”
Huvie cocked his head. “You gonna be okay?”
“I don’t know.” A moment later, she came to her senses. She’d had a fight—if it even counted as one—with a girl she hadn’t considered a friend until less than two weeks ago. “Yes, of course. I will. Be okay, I mean.”
Huvie pulled away from the curb and into traffic. “And Bri?”
Who gives a shit? Rhea sighed. “You’ll want to check on her as soon as you can. She won’t talk to me.” The girl who promised she’d be my friend forever kicked me out of her apartment an hour later. Brianna had a strange concept of ‘until the end of time.’
“Seriously, what happened?”
Rhea had no doubt Brianna would tell him everything. She had no doubt she’d be vilified. And maybe she even deserved to be. Nonetheless, Rhea didn’t feel at liberty to share any of it. “I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it.”
“Mmm.”
“I owe you big-time for rescuing me.”
“Just pay it forward, y’know? Be there for someone when they need you.”
Doing that is how I got into this situation in the first place. Against her better judgment, Rhea promised, “I will.”
Rhea didn’t hear from Adam until after work the following Monday. When his video feed turned on, he wasn’t smiling.
“Hi sweetie,” Rhea greeted him. “What’s the matter?”
“I did it.”
Her stomach clenched. “Huh?”
“I slept with her, it was awful, I hope you’re happy now.”
I’ve course I’m not happy. Rhea struggled to swallow around the lump in her throat. “You did.”
Adam nodded.
Her chest hurt. That was maybe the last thing she needed to hear from him.
He asked, “How was your date?”
No. That was. “I . . . slept with him.”
Adam jerked his gaze away from the webcam. “Good. Great. Fantastic.”
They were silent for several excruciating heartbeats.
“Was he good? Better than me?”
No. That was the last thing she needed to hear from him. “What the hell kind of question is that?” She hadn’t interrogated him when she very well could have. After all, the whole sleeping with other people thing had been his stupid idea.
“And yet you’re not answering me.”
“It was—” Rhea had to pick just the right word. When she couldn’t find it on the tip of her tongue, she sighed, “—distant. He never kissed me on the lips. It was painful. He’s a nice enough guy but . . . he hurt me.”
“Was he bigger than me?”
“Adam!”
“So he was.”
“What the fuck is your problem? Bigger isn’t better. Trust me. Yes, size matters, I’m not gonna lie.” Rhea furrowed her brows. “Consider it like pizza. Too little is gonna leave you unsatisfied and too much is gonna give you a stomachache.” That would probably go into the annals of worst-analogy-ever but it was what popped into her head on the fly.
“Well.” Adam sneered. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat pizza again.”
“Honey, come on. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. You are well more than enough for me. I know that now for sure.”
“Mmm.” He bit his lip and looked around his kitchen before glancing at his laptop. “So how’s Brianna?”
Rhea’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you ask?”
“She vaguebooked this morning. You didn’t see it?”
“No.” Rhea looked at the Facebook app on her phone, scrolling through its feed. “No, nothing here.” She visited Brianna’
s profile. The last update was two days old and in no way vague: a complaint regarding the wait times at ALDI’s checkout counters. “She must’ve deleted it.” Thank God.
“No . . . I just refreshed the page. It’s still there—” Adam’s voice trailed off.
“She left me out of a filter.” God dammit that hurts. Rhea pressed her fingertips to her forehead. “Huvie and I decided to stay friends. Brianna and I . . . did not.”
“Huvie. So it has a name. And you’re friends?”
“Of course he has a name. Seriously, don’t be this way. I really don’t need this kind of shit right now.”
“Yeah. Fine.” Adam exhaled. “Are you okay?”
Rhea looked away, putting her hand to her lips. “Not really—”
“See, this was what I was afraid of—”
“Adam please! Don’t. I don’t need this kind of shit, either.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. What do you need?”
Rhea took a few moments to compose her reply. Surely this would help: “I might feel better if I had some sort of actual commitment from you now. We’ve both slept with other people. We both know we didn’t want to and don’t want to again. C’mon, let’s make this official. I’m so ready, without a doubt. You’re the one I want, please be my boyfriend.”
Adam sighed.
Her insides turned to ice. “What?”
“The thing is . . . I . . . don’t want a girlfriend right now.”
His words sank in like a lead vest dropped on her shoulders. “You told me you were a nice guy,” she said, the last of her coolness evaporating. Rhea jumped from her seat, smacking the laptop shut. “You’re a bastard!”
She squeezed her hands into shaking fists, cold fingertips pressing into her palms, fingernails gouging her skin. Without further consideration, she grabbed her parka and left her apartment to try clearing her head.
It was bitterly cold out, the wind tearing right through her parka.
Everything looked bleak to Rhea as nighttime gloom blanketed her community. She lapped the complex twice, settling on a bench at the small park in the middle of the apartment buildings.
She snuggled into her parka, her hands tucked into its pockets and her head bowed to the strong gusts of wind.
The playground was vacant and dark, every bit the same as her soul.
Smiles By Trials (Rays of Sunshine Book 2) Page 8
