The next afternoon, we arrived home to her packing her truck.
“Hey.” She smiled brightly as she jogged over to me.
I pulled her against me and kissed her hard. I left everything behind and picked her up walking into her house. I heard Ryan behind me, “Don't worry I'll get it.” She laughed as I pulled the screen door open and pushed her against the first wall I came to, which happened to be the one behind the front door. I kicked it closed with my foot. After the last two days and everything that I had been feeling, I needed to be as close to her as I could be. I was trying to wipe the visions of Chris and her together from my brain, and the only way I knew how to do that was to create a new vision.
“What is this?” She wiggled against me. I pushed her harder into the wall with my pelvis, and she shuddered under me.
“I've been waiting days for this,” I said and started to pull her clothes from her body. I dropped her to her feet long enough to get her shorts and panties out of the way and then lifted her putting her thighs on my shoulders, so my mouth was on her core. I pushed my tongue inside of her, and she wiggled against my mouth. I worked her until she was on the brink of an orgasm and then let her slide down my body.
“No…” she complained not wanting me to stop. I pulled my cock out and stroked it a few times before pushing inside of her. She squeaked when I entered her. I moved her to the couch and began to groan as I pushed deeper and deeper. I knew that this wasn't going to be the best sex we had ever had, but I needed her in that moment. When I felt her contract around me, I lost my control and shoved into her over and over until my orgasm ripped from my body and into hers. I was panting into her neck, sweat dripping from my beard and across her chest. I watched as a droplet landed on her skin and rolled down between her breasts.
“What was that for?” Her voice broke me from my concentration.
“I needed you.” I said dropping a kiss over her nipple. She wiggled under me, and I felt my cock slide out of her causing a sharp intake of breath to escape from my lips. I laid my chin on the top of her head and took a few deep breaths letting my body come down from its high. I turned over, taking her with me. She cuddled against me, and we lay there wrapped in each other’s arms.
***
I was stuck somewhere between sleep and consciousness when her voice broke the silence.
“I have to go to Portland for a few days, sweetheart, but I'll be back Friday to help you prepare for the fourth of July cookout.”
“You just got back.” I said without opening my eyes.
“I know, and I'm sorry. Transferring all this paperwork is taking forever, and I've had to hire an IT guy to make sure it's all in there correctly.”
“I just miss you.” I hugged her to me and frowned.
“Once this is all done, it will be fewer days. I've gotten behind on my grant work and I'm getting emails wanting to know where it is and I keep putting them off saying it will all be done by next weekend. I just have so much on my plate at the moment, but I promise I will make it up to you.” She kissed me quickly and then stood, reaching her hand out to me. I grabbed her undies and shorts and handed them to her as I stood. She pulled them over her hips and then looked up at me.
“It's gonna be okay, I promise.” I extended my arms, and she walked into them, wrapping hers around me and pulling me as close as she could. With everything that had happened in the last hour, and the way she looked at me, I was doubting Chris’ story and that's exactly what I had wanted and needed.
She waved at me as I stood leaning against the post between our front doors. I lifted my hand and waved back. I watched until her truck disappeared down the road and then moved into my house. Ryan was long gone, and everything had been unloaded except the coolers.
I made busy work of that and then took a shower. I grabbed a few beers and went out to the workshop to finish a few projects that wouldn't take very long.
***
“I don't know why you don't just see her. She’s been gone two days. She’d love it. Besides, the competitions are over. You won. It's not like we need to keep working out if you aren't going to hit the circuit next season,” Ryan said.
“I don't want to crowd her.” I looked over the beer bottle.
“Seriously? Women want to be wanted. She wants to be pursued. Get to pursuing.” He laughed. I thought about hopping in the truck in the morning and driving up. We could do lunch and dinner, and I could stay the night.
“Okay.” I smiled, tossing another piece of wood in the fire barrel. “You talked me into it.”
“About time I talked you into something,” Ryan mumbled.
***
I thought about us a lot on the way to Portland the next morning. The drive was just over an hour because of the rain, which gave me time for some soul searching. Was I being stupid about this whole situation? She had been even more open with me about when Chris was around and had tried to limit their encounters to only business-related meals. I was just looking too far into this, letting him put doubt in my mind. I needed to let it go.
I followed the GPS to the street her building was located on. I drove past where she worked and turned to try and find a parking place close to her office. It was almost noon, and I wanted to surprise her and take her to lunch. I was just opening my truck to make a run for the front door through the rain when it opened.
An umbrella popped through the door, and then Chris appeared with Emerson. His arm was wrapped around her waist as they walked out into the rain. My blood boiled at the sight of them. I watched in astonishment as they took a few steps then stopped, just after they did, he lifted her chin with his finger and looked her in the eyes then said something to her. I reached for the door to push it open, ready to confront them, but thought better of it and clicked my seatbelt back in place. I continued to watch as they walked to the coffee shop, laughing as they walked. I threw the truck in drive and drove straight back home.
***
I skidded into the driveway, Ryan hot on my heels. I had driven through town like a police car was chasing me.
“What the fuck, dude?” Ryan jumped from the truck, following me into the shop.
“She was with fucking Chris.”
“Wait, what?” Ryan looked dumbfounded. “What do you mean with, she works with him, right?”
“Wrapped up under an umbrella laughing and being all intimate and shit.” I huffed out a breath and pulled a bottle of whiskey from the shelf. It was a bottle Ryan had given me for Christmas this past year, and it was for when I finally won it all and retired. Ryan watched me as I pull the red wax from the bottle and tipped it into the glasses that had been sitting beside it.
“Let's have some fun. No lady talk,” I insisted.
Ryan tipped his glass to me, and I agreed.
“To friends.” Ryan raised his glass and tapped it against mine. The bourbon burned as it went down my throat. I reached for the bottle and poured another. Ryan grabbed another bottle from the liquor stash I kept in the shop, and we eventually moved our drinking party into the house.
“To winning it all this year,” I said.
We once again clinked glasses and poured the shots back.
Within the hour, I was tripping over my furniture and laughing at Ryan as he danced around my living room. He was trying his best to keep my mind off Emmy, but as we emptied another bottle, my thoughts kept drifting to her.
“Holy shit, I'm drunk,” Ryan laughed. “I haven't been this drunk in years.”
“Why do they always cheat on me?” I said as I swayed where I stood.
“Who?”
“Women, all of them.” My vision was blurring in and out.
“She’s a good woman. I don't believe it.” Ryan tapped his head.
I felt my vision starting to darken around the edges.
“I need to go lay down.” I ran my hand along the wall as I walked up the stairs; it took me a good while to get to the top. Halfway up, I was climbing the stairs on my hands and knees. When
I got there, I had to crawl to my bed.
“Why did you have to do this to me?” I growled and rubbed my chest as the pain seeped through me.
I was a fool.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Emerson
“Thanks for sharing your umbrella. I have no idea where mine is.”
“It's fine.” Chris’ arm snaked around me and pulled me in closer. I moved close to get under the umbrella. It made me a little uncomfortable to be so close to him, but wet was wet and dry was dry. He was joking around about the mean client we’d had a meeting with that morning.
“Shut up.” I laughed as he gave an impression of my scowl, the one he said I’d made yet again when she was complaining about something in the proposal.
“You've been wearing that thing for weeks.” He did it again, sticking his lip out.
“I'm a little stressed. I just have so much to do.” I frowned and then stopped.
“What? Why are we stopping?” he asked.
“There’s something in my eye,” I stated, blinking, trying to get it out.
“Let me see.” He put his finger under my chin and lifted my face to his before I cold protest. I pulled back from the much too intimate gesture.
“Never mind. I think I got it,” I announced, still blinking. I started to walk again.
“I think you need a joke,” he stated.
I raised my eyebrows and listened.
“What is white and black and red all over?”
I laughed because I knew the answer. “A newspaper, boring.” I smiled.
“Nope, pandas in a chainsaw fight.” I laughed.
“Only you would incorporate a chainsaw into that joke.” I reached for the handle and released him as I walked into the coffee shop where John and two other co-workers were waiting to eat lunch with us.
Four hours later, I scanned in the last document from Granddad’s purely paper filing system. I literally did a happy dance all over the office until John and Stephanie appeared at my door and began applauding my dance skills. Chris followed close behind.
“We are finally paperless, ladies and gentlemen!” I announced. “Now, I am heading home and I won't see you guys for a couple of weeks, okay?”
“You work on your grant. If there are any problems, I’ll get in touch with you.” John high-fived me then turned and walked across the hall into his office, and I got the hell out of Dodge and headed to Granddad’s house.
I spent the next day working from Granddad’s home office, getting his computer set up and integrated with the new system at the main office. I was excited to surprise Luke since he wasn't expecting me until Friday.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Luke
I heard her truck coming down the driveway late Thursday night. I watched as she pulled her bag from the cab and walked over, sitting it on her porch before heading to my door. She saw me and opened the door walking quickly toward me. I stood and put an arm up stopping her.
“Hey handsome,” she smiled and tried to walk into my arms again.
I dodged her.
“Luke, what’s wrong?” she looked confused.
“Why don't you tell me the truth?” I growled.
She stood there looking innocent, unaware I’d seen what she was up to. Of course she would look that way. Have a little fun with the poor country boy for a while, but always have her eye on the bigger prize. I was done. After I had been cheated on by my only serious girlfriend, I swore to myself that I would never let it happen again, and there I stood with a girl who was so good at it that she didn't even realize she’d been caught.
“Luke, talk to me. I'm not sure what is going on.”
I turned and walked into the kitchen, the sound of her footsteps behind me. I pulled a glass from the cabinet and the whiskey from the top of the fridge and poured me a full glass. I tipped the liquid back and reveled in the burn.
“I don't understand why you’re angry with me.” Her arms were crossed in front of her, and when I looked at her face she was rolling her bottom lip between her teeth like she did when she was worried.
“Oh, I don't know, Emerson? Maybe because you insist on hanging out with a man you know I don't like.”
“Luke, I don't understand what you are talking about.”
“And have dinner together and lunch,” I rambled on. “And sharing umbrellas and walking arm in arm.”
“What?” Her forehead scrunched up.
“Oh, didn't think I knew about how close you and Christopher really are?”
“Were you in Portland yesterday?” Her eyes widened, but she still maintained her confused facade.
“Yeah, I came to surprise you.” I shrugged. “Seems I was the one in for a surprise. Seems that you and Chris have had something going on. He’s been telling me for months. And I didn’t believe it.”
“That isn't what happened.” Her hands were now balled in fists beside her.
“Oh really? I saw what I saw, and what I saw was a girl and a guy cuddled up under an umbrella all cozy like, laughing as they walked through the rain to go have lunch together alone. There isn't much else you can see in that.”
She stood there looking at me with disbelief, tears welling up in her eyes.
“It's not fun being found out, huh?” I poured more amber liquid into the glass and lifted it to my mouth needing the burn to focus me.
She shook her head softly and her voice quietened. “If you honestly believe that's what you saw, then it doesn't matter what I say to you at this point. You’re not going to believe me anyway.” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she turned away from me.
I swiveled around to face the kitchen. Her footsteps echoed down the hall, and then my door slammed. When I heard her screen door slam, I turned and walked out into the yard. Heat began rising up my throat and I knew for the first time in years, I might cry.
I’d thought she was different, but she was exactly like my ex. I still couldn't even say her name after all of the years. And there I was, history repeating itself, except this time I was in love with her.
I stood in the yard and looked skyward, searching for signs I might have missed. Other than the distance that had come between us, most of them had been from Chris. Her door opened, and she stomped out into the yard stopping directly in front of me.
“I walked under an umbrella to a restaurant where three other co-workers were waiting. Something I have done a hundred times with Chris, John, and Robbie, and probably other guys over the years I haven’t thought twice about. Every time, I try to stay close to the person so we can both stay under the fucking umbrella, and I would do the same with Ryan or you.” She poked me in the chest as she spoke. “I can't make this jealousy issue you have, or whatever it is, go away, and apparently being honest with you doesn't work either. I have never been with Chris and have never wanted to be. Since I got here, there has only been you. I don't know what else you want me to say. You told me that we were wiping the slate clean, and here you are with your insecurities hanging out all over the place, and instead of talking to me you made assumptions that were very wrong. Is that why you fucked me the way you did when you got home Sunday? Because of your insecurities? Did Chris tell you something else that you halfway believed? That’s a dick move, Luke!” She shoved my chest and turned to walk away.
I grabbed her arm and jerked her back to face me. I lowered my face and looked her in the eyes. “Then how does he know about your scar?” I said between gritted teeth.
Her eyes widened, and then a look I didn’t recognize crossed her features.
“Chris told you I have a scar?”
“He’s told me a lot of things.” I raised an eyebrow, cocking my head to the side. “He's told me about you warming his bed when you are in Portland. He told me exactly where the scar is and what it’s shaped like.”
She took a step back from me and shook her head.
“What? Can't handle the truth?”
“No, I'm trying to figure out how you could even beli
eve that I would do that to you.” Her hands went to her jeans, she undid them and shimmied them over her hips, leaving her panties on, and pointed at the scar.
“You can see it when I have a bathing suit on,” she said with a tone that all but told me I’m an idiot. “Chris has been to my grandparents’ house dozens of times over the years, and this scar has been here since I was eight.”
I wanted to believe her, but my mind was running wild.
“And I don’t even know what the inside of Chris’ house looks like. I stay with Granddad and Mimi when I am in Portland. Here, call them, ask them.” She reached into her back pocket, pulled her phone out, and shoved it into my chest.
My heart was hammering as I started to realize that maybe I had overreacted to a bunch of bullshit Chris had planted in my head.
“Chris has been hitting on me since middle school, and I have never gone there. Even with my mother pushing me, I wouldn't. And I sure as hell wouldn't have started this with you and then turned to him. I am not that person.” Tears were flowing down her face. “This is the closest to love I have ever felt, and I wouldn't do anything to mess that up. I am terrified that my life is going to move and yours is here, and I'm going to end up devastated.” She stepped closer to me. “But you were worth the risk. I wanted you for as long as I could have you.”
She looked into my eyes, and I knew then that I was, in fact, and idiot. Everything I thought I knew was wrong. She was telling me the truth and had been all along. When Ryan had told me last night to get out of my head, I hadn't understood, but I did now. Chris was a prick, and I knew that, yet I’d believed him as if his word was gold. He took advantage of her and had tried everything he could to get to her, even going through me. I reached my hands toward her face and used my thumbs to wipe the tears from under her eyes.
“I'm sorry.” I didn't know what else to say.
“You're an asshole!” she halfway shouted at me. “You should be sorry.”
I nodded because it was true. I pulled her to me. She didn't fight me. She wrapped her arms around me and laid her head on my chest.
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