Robin's Nest

by Melissa Stevens

  "Changed how?"

  "Let's just say I don't think I'll be available for the blind date you've been threatening me with anytime soon."

  "Wait a minute. Are you telling me after all these years, you're finally dating Robin?"

  "I don't know that 'dating' is the right word, but we're definitely involved."

  "How involved?" She sounded intrigued.

  "Very."

  "It's about damned time he realized you're a girl."

  "Don't blame him. I'm just as guilty as he is."

  "You didn't know he's a boy?" She sounded shocked but I knew she was faking.

  I laughed, I couldn't help it. "No, I knew he was a boy, but I never saw him as anything more than my friend. But when I was in the hospital, after I woke, I found that I was unsettled and restless when he wasn't there." I was quiet for a moment. "We talked about it and he told me he had realized how stupid he'd been, that he felt more for me than just friendship. So we decided to give it a try."

  "So what? You jumped in to bed with him?"

  "Not exactly. Don't get me wrong, we are sleeping together, but it's not like that. It feels right. Like he's what I've been looking for a long time."

  "That's good. If he makes you happy, go for it."

  "He does, at least so far."

  We were quiet for a while, not taking though we both sang along with the radio from time to time. I could tell there was something she wanted to say.

  "Just say it." I knew it was something big, but I couldn't tell what.

  "Well," she hesitated, "how is it?"

  "How's what?" I had no clue what she was talking about.

  She gave me a sideways look.

  "What?" I scowled.

  "The sex. How's the sex?"

  I blushed. I couldn't help it. "It's good."

  "Come on, give me details."

  "Yeah, I don't think so."

  "Come on!"

  "Nope, I'll say it's good. It's really good, but no details."

  "We always talk details." Jenny was right, we did usually share details about our lovers, but sharing about Robin felt wrong.

  "But it's never been Robin."

  "Aw, man. You're no fun." She was whining and pretending to be disappointed but I knew she was teasing.

  "That's me the buzz-kill. What did I miss?"

  "Nothing that I know of."

  We spent the rest of the trip chatting about people we knew and upcoming events in town. At the rental office, the agent told me all the insurance company would cover was a compact. I wasn't happy about it and thought they should have told me over the phone, so I could be a little more prepared, but oh well. I finished the paperwork and ended up driving away in a Nissan Versa, it was a two-door hatchback, not really cramped but not roomy either, the only thing I really liked about it was the standard transmission. I decided I hated the little car and I couldn't wait for the insurance company to make a decision so I could get a vehicle I would enjoy driving again.

  ***

  I was fixing spaghetti to go with the garlic bread and tossed salad I'd already made, when Robin came in. I heard him moving in the entryway, then he disappeared into the laundry room off the kitchen before coming up behind me.

  "Is that the rental out front?" He kissed my neck.

  "It is." I frowned at him over my shoulder.

  He laughed. "Don't like it?"

  "It's like I'm driving a tuna can, without the smell." I turned to give him a hug and discovered he was standing behind me in his tee shirt, underwear and socks.

  "What's this?" I looked him up and down, one brow lifted in question.

  "I was muddy so I left my boots next to the door, I took my jeans off so I wouldn't trail mud through the house. I stuck them in the washer on my way past the laundry room."

  "Okay."

  "How long until dinner's ready?"

  I looked at the counter and did a quick calculation of what I still had to do. "Fifteen, twenty minutes."

  "So I have time to shower?"

  "Go for it."

  He gave me another kiss and headed for the other room.

  ***

  Wednesday, I spent the morning going through the paper and applying to job listings, then I mixed up a batch of cookies to take to Aunt Sophia's. Robin came in earlier than he had the last couple of days so I could get there early enough to help cook. Unlike with Robin's family, mine always ate first, leaving the reserved family time for after the meal.

  Robin wasn't the only significant other to attend, Quinn's girlfriend, Becky, was there, as was Robert's girlfriend, Erin. Both couples had been dating for quite some time. I had been expecting either or both to announce their engagement for some time, so far neither had. Nathan was there, but he was currently between girlfriends. For once, there was an even number of men and women at the table, it wasn't something that happened often. Just like with Robin's parents, we waited to address everyone together. This time it was my turn to do the talking. As we took our seats around the table, but before the meal started. I glanced around, making sure everyone was there, then stood.

  "What's up, Sam?" Robert asked from across the table.

  "I wanted to make sure you heard it from me." I looked at everyone again.

  "Heard what?" He scowled up at me.

  Robin reached up from where he sat beside me and took my hand. Robert's eyes moved to our hands, then back to my face.

  "I don't want you finding out from gossip," I said. "Robin and I are seeing each other."

  "When haven't you been?" Robert's voice was sarcastic.

  "We've taken things to another level." I met his look. "You may or may not care, but I wanted to be the one to tell you."

  Robert looked around the table, gauging his brother's reactions, then back at me. "Sam, after the way he stuck to you at the hospital, I expected this. From the looks of everyone else, they did too."

  I sat back down and looked at Robert across the table. "They had a little more warning, since we all came home together." Robin slid his hand across my back, and let me know without words that he was there if I needed him.

  "So now you've made your big announcement, can we eat?" Robert asked.

  I grinned. "Yeah, let's eat."

  For the rest of the meal my family treated Robin normally. He's been a part of my family for as long as I've been a part of his, even if not in quite the same way. Most of my family accepted the change without trouble, though, several times, I caught Quinn shooting Robin warning looks when he thought no one was looking. I noticed Robert catch one of the looks as well. He met my look and then rolled his so hard I wondered if he'd hurt himself. Robin ignored both boys and pretended Quinn wasn't being as stupid as Bruce.

  Maybe since Quinn is several years older than me, he felt like he needed to protect me, I don't know. Robert is younger than I am, if only by a year. He spent a lot of our childhood, physically at least, looking up at me, I think he saw me as more of an equal, not someone he had to protect so aggressively.

  I thought it was funny, but I wondered how the boys would react if they knew what Bruce had said to Robin? They wouldn't be just scowling or rolling their eyes.

  After dinner, Aunt Sophia told the boys she and I had cooked, they needed to clear the table and stack the dishes, then she pulled me aside.

  "So? How are things going?" She asked as soon as the boys were gone.

  "What things?"

  "With you and Robin."

  I smiled, I couldn't help it. "They're going really well."

  "And the insurance company? Have they given you any more trouble?"

  I shook my head. "No, not since before I got the car,"

  "Good," she nodded, "good."

  Without waiting for the boys to wash the dishes, we went back to the kitchen and started serving dessert. Robin helped us hand it out, giving me a questioning look as he did, making sure that everything was okay with Sophia. I sent him a quick nod.

  When almost everyone was done with their des
sert, Quinn stood.

  "You've made your announcement, now it's my turn," he said quietly to me, then turned and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear him. "I have something I want to share with you. Sam's accident, along with her injuries and hospitalization, made me realize how short life really is and I've been watching it pass by. I've determined to seize all the happiness I can, because life is too short to let even one moment escape. I've made my first step." He paused, taking a deep breath. "I want you all, as my family, to be the first we share our news with." He glanced around the room. "I've asked Becky to marry me and she's agreed." He looked down at her, grinning with happiness and love.

  We all jumped up and gave them hugs, congratulations and best wishes. I let them both know I was willing, and with my current employment status, more than able, to help with any planning or anything else they needed for the wedding.

  20

  Friday, since I'd shown none of the sings Doctor Montez told us to watch for, I was clear to drink alcohol. Robin suggested we go out and celebrate. Opting to stay close to home, we went one of the two bars in our small town.

  We parked on the street beside the bar and used a side door. It wasn't the main door, but locals tended to use it as much, or more than the one at the front of the building. Robin opened the door and held it for me. I walked in and noise erupted around me.

  "WELCOME HOME SAM!" A chorus of voices surprised me.

  It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dim lighting of the interior of the bar, but I soon realized that most of our circle of friends was there. I turned to Robin and he gave me a pleased look.

  "Surprise." He grinned.

  "You planned this?"

  "Yep. If we're celebrating, we should do it right."

  "Thank you." I leaned over and kissed him. Not a long or a deep kiss, but not a friendly peck on the cheek, either.

  "Oohhhh, looks like Sam and Robin are getting together," Cassidy, one of the few girls in our group, called out.

  "And that'll change what?" asked Joe, another friend since grade school. "Where they park their cars at night?"

  "No." Eddie put in. He was the bartender and one of our friends as well. "But I know what it will change."

  I turned and pinned Eddie with a challenging look, one eyebrow raised. "Just what is that, Eddie?"

  "Now we'll know why he does whatever she wants." He laughed, a loud guffaw of sound that rolled across the small room.

  I shook my head, I knew we'd get some ribbing and it was really all in fun. It wasn't as though I was bringing someone new into the group that they didn't know how to take or deal with. It was Robin, he'd been a member of our pack since before the pack had even started.

  "Can the wise cracks and gimme a Killian's. Start me a tab." This was more than I'd expected. I thought we'd show up, have a couple beers and visit with whoever happened to be there before heading home. "Thanks," I said to Eddie, taking the bottle he slid across the bar, then turned to Robin. "I can't believe you set this up, we just decided to go out this afternoon."

  Robin gave me the ghost of a smile. "That was kinda set up too. I knew you'd jump at the idea after being barred from drinking for the last week. I know how being told not to do something, only makes you want to do it more." He used one arm to pull me against his side. "I started getting this together a couple days ago. Once I had it all ready, all I had to do was suggest it to you."

  I sat my bottle on the bar next to me and wrapped both arms around his waist, holding him. I stretched up and gave him a quick kiss. "Thank you. For thinking of this and planning it. You're good to me."

  "Why wouldn't I be?" He bent down and kissed me softly on the lips. "Seeing you happy, seeing that light in your eyes, thrills me all the way to my toes. Why wouldn't I put it there as often as I could?" He rested his forehead against mine and smiled.

  We spent a couple hours at the bar, playing darts, visiting with friends and even dancing to a couple songs someone queued on the jukebox.

  After my second beer and Robin's second soda since he was my designated driver for the night, we paid our tab and called it a night. The group gave us a little more ribbing as we made our way out the door, my hand in his. We promised to get together again soon and took off.

  ***

  "How'd you enjoy your party?" Robin asked on the ride back to the house.

  "It was great. I thought we'd run into a few people, but you totally surprised me. I had a blast." I stretched up from my seat enough to kiss him on the cheek. "Thank you."

  "The celebration isn't over yet, but I'm gonna need a little input from you before it goes much further."

  "Input?" I frowned, confused. "What do you want to know?"

  "You said you might be willing to try some things…" he trailed off, uncertain.

  "Why not?" I shrugged. "What do you have it mind."

  "Not sure yet, but I was curious about a few things."

  "Like?"

  "Like, have you done anything other than straight and oral sex?"

  "I've had a little bit of adventurous sex, but not much. Some light bondage, like the other day, but that's about it."

  "Adventurous sex," he glanced at me with a grin. "I like that."

  "What are you so hesitant to ask for?" I asked.

  "Okay, I'll just spit it out. Have you ever used, um, toys?"

  "Toys, as in? What? Dildos, vibrators, nipple clamps? What?"

  "I was trying to be discreet."

  "Why?" I asked, turning to look at him, I couldn't see much in the dark, but I looked anyway. "It's not like we have company, and you know I'm not shy about sex and what I like."

  "Hell," he muttered. "I don't know, I guess I didn't want to scare you off, but I meant dildos and vibrators and the like."

  "It'll take a lot more than asking about sex toys to scare me off. I've never messed with dildos but I have a couple of vibrators, nothing fancy, but they get the job done."

  "Wait, you have a couple? Why? Um, if you don't mind my asking, that is."

  "Because I'm a sexually active woman in the twenty-first century. One who isn't into casual sex. I told you I hadn't been with anyone in almost a year. Sometimes a girl has to get off. You can't stand to be around me when it's been too long. Hell, I can't even stand myself."

  "Can't stand yourself, huh?"

  "Yeah, yeah, laugh if you want. Just wait, you'll see."

  "You're assuming I can keep my hands off you long enough to get to that point."

  "True," I said, yielding the point.

  "So, back to the topic, you have a couple. Would you be willing to let me watch?"

  "You want to watch me get myself off?" I asked, surprised.

  "To start with, then maybe we can use them together."

  "I'm not sure," I hesitated.

  "Don't want to share your toys with me?"

  "No, it's not that at all," I said instantly, "it's the first part. The idea of using them on myself while you watch embarrasses me." I was quiet a moment. "The reason I have them is for when I don't have anyone to help me get off. I've never considered using them in front of someone. That kind of defeats the purpose of having someone else there."

  "But it would be so hot," he said softly, "and it would show me what you know you like."

  I was slow to respond, not because I didn't want to, but because I didn't know quite what to say, "I'm willing to try, but I'll warn you now. When I use them, it's not about giving myself pleasure, it's about getting off so I can stand myself. It's all about the release, not getting there."

  "I'll keep that in mind," he said, pulling his truck to a stop in front of my house. "Let's go inside and continue your party."

  21

  I waited until we were inside and Robin had closed the door behind us before I stopped him. Trying to take him by surprise I spun around and grabbed the front of his shirt, balling it in my fist as I pushed him back against the door. I went up on my toes and kissed him, pressing the length of my body against his.


  I released his shirt to reach down and tug the hem from where it was tucked into his jeans. I worked it up his body until I could pull it off over his head, tossing it aside before I moved against him again. Spilling my hands over his torso, I let him run gentle kisses and small tender bites down one side of my neck. Robin's hands gripped my waist, he held on a moment then slid them up, under my shirt. I reveled in the warmth and strength of his hands as he pulled me against him.

  "Do you want to continue this here or go in the other room?" His voice had turned husky. His thumb moving back and forth over my skin.

  "The other room. As much fun as I find vertical sex, this was just supposed to be a teaser." I placed a light kiss on his chest. "Why don't you grab a couple of beers out of the fridge. Now that we're in for the night, you can have one too."

  "Okay." He slowly, almost reluctantly, released me, then went in the kitchen. I watched him go, enjoying the way his muscles played under the skin on his back as he moved.

  I went into the living room and collapsed into the recliner, and toed off my boots. I was still leaned back with my feet out in front of me, stretching, when Robin came in. He handed me one of the dark bottles he'd brought with him before sitting on the couch a few feet away.

  "So," I leered at him, "what do you have in mind for the rest of my party?"

  "Nothing specific." He shrugged. "I figured since we started celebrating tonight, we could continue, if you want." He looked at me. "Personally, I celebrate every time I see or touch you recently."

  "Aww." I got up and joined him on the sofa. I curled up on the seat next to him and laid my head against his bare chest, and rubbed my face back and forth against his skin. "You make me feel special."

  "You are special." He wrapped one arm around me. "You're special to me."

  We sat, sipping our drinks while lost in our own thoughts for several minutes.

  "When was the last time anything so simple felt this good?" He asked after a while.