Lights Out (Indigo)

by Robinson, Ruthie

  He turned to her. “What did you say?”

  “You heard me,” she said, her eyes locked on his, taking in his startled expression. She forged ahead. “You know I have needs, too. With the girls living with me those needs are never met. Not that they were met before they’d moved in, but then at least there was the possibility. Not so much now. Unlike you, I just don’t have people throwing themselves at me. Plus, I know you. You’re a good guy. You know me. We’re friends, so why can’t we…sort of like killing two birds with one stone.”

  He’d never heard it described quite that way before.

  “Tell me you hadn’t thought of it again?”

  “I had,” he said.

  “See, great minds think alike. It’s a perfect idea. Now I’m used to the girls. They’re on a schedule, at school most of the day. We know each other’s schedules, the kids’ schedules. We can work around them. We meet on Mondays to plan the week, right? We don’t always have to meet at the coffee shop. Sometimes you don’t have to be in to work early. There is ample time. What do you think?”

  He sighed. Hell, yeah, it’s what he always wanted, so why the reservations now?

  “How about we take some time to think it over?”

  “What’s there to think about?” she asked. She felt as if she’d just had the wind kicked out of her.

  “Don’t get me wrong. I want to, you know that, and after last night watching you in the swimsuit I was going to ask you to reconsider the hookup question again, Mr. Marshall got in the way,” he said, glancing over at her, finding surprise on her face at that comment.

  “But now that the option is placed before me, I find I have reservations. Well, more like a reservation.”

  “What?” she asked.

  “I don’t want to ruin our friendship,” he said, and smiled at the surprise that registered on her face. “I know. I’ve come to rely on you. You’ve come to mean a lot to Shane, plus I value your friendship, too. I like you. Sex, I can have with anyone. Friendships haven’t been so easy for me to find. I don’t have many. My choice, I know, but I do value yours.” He was as sincere as she had ever seen him.

  Ahhhhhh, she thought internally, pushing forward now that there was a little daylight showing through the fog. “It doesn’t have to alter our friendship. I mean, FWB is the way the world works nowadays, right? I can handle it if you can.”

  He was silent for a second or two. “Occasional, huh?” he said, looking at her, one eyebrow lifting, sly smile at his lips.

  He turned away, back to removing the last of her dishes. What am I doing? She was offering him what he wanted, and he was hesitating.

  “So do you want to give it a try?” she asked.

  “I need you to promise me one thing,” he said, turning to her again.

  “What?”

  “You have to always be honest with me,” he said, gazing into her eyes, intense and focused on her. “If this becomes too much for you, your emotions get too involved, you let me know. This isn’t going to turn into a long-term thing for me. You need to know that up front. I value you too much to have you think otherwise.”

  It was quiet for a second as she processed his words. Okay, she hadn’t thought he was in for the long term anyway, but that could change. The dreamy-eyed optimist within her always kept hope alive.

  “Okay then,” she replied, looking around, suddenly nervous.

  “One more thing. I should warn you that I’m demanding when it comes to sex. If this is to be an exclusive relationship, I think you need to know what you’re signing up for,” he said, lifting an eyebrow in question.

  “And how demanding is demanding?”

  “Demanding,” he said, and gave her a look that could boil water.

  She cleared her throat. “I can do demanding,” she said. She hoped so, anyway. “Demanding, like in everyday demanding?” Her eyebrows lifted in question, seeking confirmation. “Like what? Not whips and chains kind of demanding,” she said.

  “Nope. No whips or chains, unless you want to,” he said and laughed at her expression. “But maybe other things.”

  “Other things, huh? Nothing painful,” she said, seriously biting into her bottom lip.

  He fought against smiling.

  “Not painful, but often,” he said.

  “Often can be painful,” she replied, her eyes glued to his now. “So how often is often?” she asked.

  “Enough,” he said, watching her face. She was not a very good poker player. “So are you sure about this? Is this what you’re signing up for, what you had in mind?”

  “Uh…” she said, looking around, not so sure anymore. She stood quiet for a second, took a deep breath and found his eyes again. “I’m sure.”

  He shrugged. “Here’s an out. We’ll give it a try and if it’s too much for you, just say so and we’ll stop.”

  She nodded, a small movement, her eyes turned inward, considering.

  “Okay, it’s a deal,” she said.

  “When do we start? Do you want to go out first?” Joe asked.

  “No, that’s not necessary. I’d have to find a sitter and so would you. I don’t need all that wining and dining stuff, don’t have time for it, anyway. So how about we just do what comes natural, you know, just let nature take its course,” she said, proud of herself for her pragmatism.

  “Do what comes natural,” he said, mulling that over in his mind. And when was that, exactly? He rubbed his hand across his forehead. “Is there a timeframe for when things come naturally?”

  “No, whenever you feel like it’s natural,” she said.

  He turned back to the counter and finished with her dishes, closing the cabinet doors as she started to talk about the Thanksgiving trip. He half listened, his mind on their new agreement.

  Chapter 13

  The following Sunday found Piper at home enjoying the peace and quiet, a reminder of her life before kids. The girls were at a birthday party, not due home for another five hours. It was one of those six-hour thingies, held at one of those all-in-one places that included a movie, bowling, laser tag, video arcade, and food. She’d dropped Taylor and Kennedy off about an hour ago. Joe had been in charge of getting Shane there. A parent who lived nearby was bringing all three to her home—returning a favor—and Joe would pick Shane up from here.

  “What are we doing here, Cowboys?” she asked the TV as she sat on the couch, reading a book, and half listening to the football game. Her feet were up, a glass of wine on the table in front of her.

  The doorbell rang and she groaned. The dogs started in with their barking while she debated whether or not she should answer it. She looked over at McKenzie and Pepper standing in front of it, searching their tails for clues. Friend or foe? The duo barked regardless, but tail wagging in earnest meant friend, not stiff and pointed, the sign of the enemy.

  Piper sat up, pushed herself up from the sofa and moseyed over to door. Her breath hitched after she recognized Joe standing on the other side. He wasn’t due here for another five hours, not unless he was coming for…Remain calm, she told herself and opened the door. He looked good, dressed casually in jeans and a t-shirt.

  “Hey,” she said. “You’re early.”

  “I had some errands to run after I dropped off Shane. They took less time than I thought so instead of going home I decided I’d stop by and see what you were up to,” he said, peering over her shoulder. “Am I interrupting anything?”

  “No, just reading and watching the game. Come on in,” she said, stepping aside and letting him enter. As she closed the door behind him he squatted down to scratch the neck of two of his favorite friends.

  “What game?” he asked.

  “Cowboys at Arizona,” she said, walking back into the living room and taking her place back on the sofa.

  “Make yourself at home,” she said, watching him as he walked over and settled on the other portion of her couch. Guess not today, either. She’d thought he’d jump right on her request, but no, he’d proceeded as
normal, hadn’t mentioned it again or made any moves toward her. It had been a week since they agreed to more.

  “Want anything to drink?” she asked.

  “Nope. I’ll just watch the game for a while,” he said.

  “Here’s the remote. I’m not tied to this game, doing more reading than watching,” she said, handing the remote over to him. He flipped through channels and watched her out of the corner of his eye. He watched as her head fell back to her book.

  He glanced again, taking in her feet stretched out before her—nice toes painted blue with white stripes, shorts cut high, t-shirt snug over her breasts. He went back to flipping channels and ended up back where he’d started.

  “So, Piper,” he said, watching her eyes finish reading before she looked at him. “I was thinking that now might be that natural time you’d talked about. What do you think?”

  “Natural,” she repeated. Her eyes had moved from the book to the TV. She was now preoccupied with a commercial advertising a sale of shoes, confusion marking her face. A few seconds later it cleared. “Natural, oh, that kind of natural?” She looked over at him. “Right now?”

  “Yep,” he said, all relaxed like, spread out on her sofa. She skimmed his body from head to toe and back.

  “Now,” she said again.

  “Well you did say that you didn’t want any wining and dining, and the kids are gone for,” he checked his watch, “five more hours. And someone else is dropping them off here, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, why not right now?” he said, watching her face and the feelings that passed over them like the wind—recognition, shock, acceptance, interest, and, finally, apprehension.

  “Okay…where? Here on the couch?”

  Here works, he thought. “Where would you like to go?”

  “My room?” she asked.

  “Your room it is,” he said and stood up. Now that she was on board, he was so there.

  He watched her stand. She ran a hand through her hair, turned, and eyed the stairs. Come on, Piper, this is what you said you wanted. Let’s go, she thought and headed for the steps. He followed, and she could feel him at her back, his eyes glued to the sway of her hips, cheeks curvy and full, his hands held in his pockets to keep from reaching for them.

  He followed her up the stairs and down the hall to her room. He hadn’t been here before. They reached her room and she entered first and turned to face him, her hands together behind her back. He closed the door behind them and looked around, taking in the clutter that was so her. It wasn’t so bad that it prevented you from walking, but was far from his neat-as-a-pin housekeeping.

  He turned to face her, watching her. He could tell she was nervous. Her teeth were tugging at her bottom lip.

  He took a step toward her, so ready, hard like you wouldn’t believe. He had so looked forward to this, since the beginning. He hadn’t pressed her until now. For some reason he wanted to make sure she was truly sure.

  They stood for a second, eyes glued to each other. He reached for the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head, dropping it to the floor. She stood, watching, her mouth parting slightly, eyes growing large. He grew harder if that were possible, watching her staring like this, hunger mixed in with a little bit of shyness. She was even startled, like it was her first gander at a man’s chest.

  “You know what? Maybe on second thought…” she said, her hands brushing the hair from around her face, thinking now about the demanding part. Was she up for this? She wasn’t anywhere near the sexual athlete that she’d bet her life he was. “Maybe I would like the wining and dining option, now that we’re here. Maybe we should get to know each other more, in a more relaxed setting, you know. This seems so sudden,” she said, backing up closer to the bed.

  “It’s not that sudden,” he said, kicking off his shoes. His hands went to the snap of his jeans, and he unzipped and opened them. “And you know me,” he said, letting them fall to the floor. All that remained were his boxers, with a noticeable dent in them now. She swallowed hard and watched as he took another slow step toward her. He started to push his boxers slowly down his lean hips. He watched her eyes fixated on his hands as his boxers moved downward. Her eyes then went to his body, taking in the nice V of a man who was in great shape. He smiled when her eyes landed on his erection, his boxers at his feet now, and heard her sharp intake of air. Her eyes found his, alarm in them now.

  He smiled again, took two more steps, and stood in front of her.

  “I don’t know, Joe,” she said.

  “Sure you do,” he responded, and reached for her, his arms moving around her waist, pulling her close. He bent his head to the curve of her neck and he kissed her lightly there.

  “I…” she said again, abruptly quiet as his hands lifted her top and pulled it over her head. Just as quickly he reached for the snap of her bra and removed it, pulling it outward from her arms. He moved those wonderful hands to cup her breasts while his mouth was just under her chin again, moving tantalizingly slowly toward her lips.

  He felt so good, so strong, so everything. His hands were cupping her breasts, softly moving over them. Was she even still breathing?

  “Is this okay?” he said, his mouth at the corner of hers now. “Just trying to do what comes naturally.” His hair softly touched her shoulders. She nodded, her eyes locked onto his, mesmerized by the strength, humor, and the certainty she found in them. She couldn’t think with his hand moving over her so. He went back to kissing that spot underneath her ear.

  “Relax. This was a really good idea,” he added, his mouth making its way along the ridge of her jaw toward her mouth. She stood still, trapped like a deer, until his mouth found hers.

  Damn, he was good. She opened her mouth at the request of his tongue, which was probing the seam of her lips. She moaned, and he chuckled and kissed her slowly, exploring her mouth with his tongue, getting the feel for her, marking her. He probably had no idea of the impact he was having on her, but she didn’t think she would ever be the same.

  He was moving her now, or at least she thought she was moving. Her mind struggled to keep up, to just take in and process his hands teasing her breasts while his tongue teased her there, too. She wasn’t sure she could handle anything else.

  He walked her over to the bed. She knew she was there because her knees hit the mattress and he stopped, his hands moving to her shorts. Her hands joining up with his, helping him unsnap them and slide the zipper down. He laughed against her mouth.

  She was so ready and so on board now. “Condoms?” he asked, stepping back to pull her shorts down her hips. He kissed the junction of her thighs, causing her to sit hard on her bed, her legs no longer able to hold her up. He laughed while finishing his task of removing her remaining clothing before standing to look down at her on her bed, nude, those long legs slightly parted, hair loose and wild about her head, eyes closed, her face a mix of want and serenity, just like he’d imagined.

  “Condoms?” he asked again. She pointed to her nightstand. He reached over and grabbed a few. “Extra large,” he said, reviewing the package he held in his hands. “Thanks, I think.”

  She opened her eyes and smiled at him, a big ole giant smile, slow and sexy, and he felt a flutter in his chest.

  “Gimmee,” she said, slowing sitting up on her elbows. She extended one arm, pointing to the condom in his hand and wiggling her fingers for it. This opportunity was too good to waste. She hoped that he was as demanding tonight as he’d said he could be. He smiled and placed the package in her hand.

  “This was a good idea, wasn’t it?” she said, looking at him from beneath her lashes, a sexy expression on her face as she tore the package with her teeth. They both laughed, and then it was all pleasure.

  * * *

  “What about this problem?” Kennedy asked, waiving her fingers in front of Piper’s face the next day. They were seated at a table in the coffee shop. Piper was supposed to be helping her with her homework, but so far a
ll she had done was stare out of the front window.

  “Piper,” Kennedy called again.

  “I’m sorry. Did you finish that problem? Let me check it,” she said pulling Kennedy’s paper in front of her to review. It was quiet for a few seconds as Piper did the math. “Great,” she said, sliding the paper back over to Kennedy. “Two more and you’re done for the night,” she said, her head turning back toward the window. She stared out, not seeing anything outside, her mind reentering the world of Joe, lost in yesterday with him, their first time together. Wow, was all she could think. She’d replayed that afternoon in her mind twenty times if not once since then.

  What an inspired idea for them to combine their forces, literally, although she would have to shore up her game to keep up with him. He was certainly on top of his. He did warn her he would be demanding, and now she knew exactly what that meant. She might not be totally up for all of his demands, but she was willing to try most of them.

  She turned and looked over at her sister, Kennedy, whose head was bent over her work, pencil moving intently as she worked through her nemesis, division. Taylor and Shane had finished their homework, and they were playing another of their favorite video games. Piper turned back to her thoughts again.

  She would never ever look at her middle name in quite the same manner again.

  Renee. A simple name for her friends and family’s use, mostly; those who were close to her called her that. Piper was what most other people called her, and in spite of her mother’s reasoning for giving that name to her, she liked the name—preferred it, actually—until she heard her middle name fall from Joe’s lips.

  When he said her middle name it became poetry. Renee, the only name he’d called her when he’d made love to her, like she was a different woman there with him. Just thinking about it warmed her blood, conjured up images of sweat and want and need.