CHAPTER 15 - CAN WE BE MORE THAN FRIENDS BUT LESS THAN LOVERS?
THE JEEP
BRIAN
I look across at a grinning, although shivering, Justin. “You cold?”
“No! Just so very excited!” He squirms in his seat. “How are you…”
“Trying not to pull over so we can take the edge off.” I rub his thigh.
“I think…” He begins, but his phone pings and he reads the message then chuckles. “...that was Chris. Says anywhere but his room, he and Daph want to do it in there first!”
“So am I pulling over?”
“Yeah.” He breathes in and out slowly. “Can you rim me, like you said you would in that call?”
“Not enough room.” I mutter, willing the guy to my left to let me in. “Can jack us, oh thank Christ!” I mutter as he finally gives me space to pull in behind, and then I spot the perfect jacking spot. “Pants! Take off!” I order, and like him have to breathe deep as he wriggles out of them.
MERCY’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
LOUNGE
MERCY
“Okay, this Thursday it is. Look forward to it.” I sit back in my chair and wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans and sigh.
“Is it done?!” Daph hollers through the door.
“Yeah, you can come back in now!” I call back, and she and Ems fight to get in first.
“Where, when, what time?!” Ems beats her to it.
“Thirsty Thursday at Emerald & Pearl.” Everyone goes quiet.
“Emerald & Pearl, as in the high class bar?!” Ems fans himself. “I am on the waitlist just to apply for membership. I think Brian applied, but I missed the cut off because I was in Paris.”
“Now that is a place of awesomeness!” Ted enthuses. “You’re right, Ems, Brian is waiting for approval, we both are.”
“I think we need food!” I announce, standing up and head to the kitchen to see what I can knock up.
THE JEEP
JUSTIN
I am biting the seat behind his head, it tastes slightly sour, but I don’t care!
“Oh yeah!” Brian growls as his hand, slick with our juices, moves faster and faster.
“Motherofgod!” I almost sob into his ear as the pleasure starts to radiate around the very car itself, it is all consuming in its intensity. “Uhuhhuhuh!”
“Jesusfeckchrist!” He pants out.
“Br…!” I bite down hard to avoid deafening him! My hips dance their own rhythm, and I feel like I am gushing like a geyser!
“Wooohooo!” He bellows before bowing slightly and flooding my thighs.
MERCY’S HOUSE
EMS
“OH MY GOD!” I reread the message on my phone and then hand it to Ben. “I got in! I got in!”
“To Emerald & Pearl?!” Ted exclaims. “How?!”
“Don’t know, but I am in!”
“Mercy, Mercy me…” She croons as she comes in with some plates. “....things aren't what they seem to be…” She sashays back into the kitchen singing to herself.
“What the…” Ted exclaims as he looks at his phone, and then one by one all our phones ping, except Leda’s and Mel’s. “...I got in too!”
“I didn’t even apply!” Drew exclaims. “Did you, Ben?”
“The same time as Brian. I don’t understand…”
“Ownership has its perks. Speeding up the applications of a select few is one of them!” Leda chuckles.
“You own Emerald & Pearl?!” Daph gasps, just staring at her phone. “We are going there for the blackberry vodka! Is it true that it is batch made, and only for Thirsty Thursday, and when it is gone it is gone?”
“Yes, but I don’t own it. Like you, I am a member. They own it. She and Mel.” She brushes Mel’s cheek. “That’s where we met. Went there to drown my sorrows and met the love of my life and her best friend.”
“So now that we have that settled…” Mercy comes back in with napkins and cutlery. “...I can rustle up some linguine with truffle pesto and garlic bread, since our appetites were ruined earlier. That will take about twenty minutes, then we can have the wings later.”
“How long are you planning on us staying and why?” I ask, starting to make room.
“Why? For two reasons, one long enough for you all to stop from calling him back to cancel...” I admit.
“Give me your phone immediately!” Daph this time beats me to it!
“And I believe I know the second reason.” George rubs his temple, and Mercy nods angrily as we all catch on.
“So where are we looking?” Ben asks.
“Anywhere but here.” She replies, her eyes blazing.
THE JEEP
BRIAN
“Yep, edge definitely taken off!” I laugh at his spitting and tongue flicking.
“Do you have a mint? That seat tastes disgusting!”
“Pants. Have gum. Feel calmer?”
“Uh...wait.” He wipes his tongue on his sleeve and rifles in my pants pocket until he finds the gum, he chews for a while before starting to grin. “Yeah! But before we make out in here again, you need to have it valeted!”
“Think we can get to mine without you falling asleep?”
“Yes, of course!” He protests before yawning hugely. “Thought we were going to mine?” His eyelids start to droop.
“Let's clean up and get dressed. My place is nearer.”
“It isn’t. I live near Mercy, so…”
“Wasn’t sure if he followed us…” I admit. “...apart from getting you off, the other reason I pulled off is because I saw the 18 wheeler behind me. If he had followed, there was no way he would’ve gotten past it. The next turn off is not for another five miles.”
“I see.” He slowly gets off my lap and we get redressed in silence.
“Killed the mood haven’t I?”
“It’s not you, it’s something else.” He replies quietly before getting in the front seat. Sighing, I follow, but he doesn't explain. Instead, he looks over his shoulder, and stares for a few minutes before looking at me. “You know when I found you?”
“Not really, but yeah.”
“I was never questioned by the police. I reported the shooting, and not once did anyone come to question me or take a statement. Don't you think that is odd?”
“They must have taken a statement when you first reported it?”
“Yeah, but it was so perfunctory. Nobody came afterwards.” He swallows and turns in his seat to face me. “And what Mercy said…” I realise what he is thinking and swallow hard. “...I will protect you. Nobody is taking you away from me.”
I smile at my bodyguard and his wary look recedes. “So can I seduce you when we get in?” I snicker when he yawns again. “Is this a Pavlovian thing?!”
“No!” He chuckles and yawns again. “You just make me deliciously tired.”
“We’re going to go to your place so you can pack a bag, then back to mine so you can recover. Then tomorrow I’m gonna knock you out.”
“Thank you, LL Cool J!” He adjusts the seat.
“Try not to snore!” I order as I restart the jeep.
DINER - TEN MINUTES LATER
VIC
“You still don’t understand it, do you?” I ask a sulking Michael, who has had his arms crossed over his chest since the head slaps.
“No I don’t. She has been my best friend since forever, and…”
“You have not been hers since she moved to England.” I point out. Now it is my turn, Debs has pussyfooted around on this for years. “She had no choice. What would you have her do?”
“What was wrong with her living with us?” He pouts, and I shake my head
“She wanted to live with her parents, and…” I smack the table to stop him interrupting. “...she would’ve hated living with us, and grown to hate you, which, in any event, seems to have happened anyway.”
“No she wouldn’t! And no she doesn’t!”
“Yes she would. She was feeling stifled by you...she told me that. She said it was like living with another shadow.” I have had enough of his denials and move up a bit so Debs can sit down, she looks at me then him and with a nod she says continue. Even though she knew how Mercy felt, she would never tell Michael to back off on her. “Michael, you were suffocating her. Everything she wanted to do that you didn’t understand or found boring, you harped on until she gave in and didn't do it.”
“No I didn’t.” He is not so staunch in his defence now.
“Are you going to put up your store?” Debs asks.
“No, the store is mine. Just sign over the house, and…”
“The house is ours.” Debs cuts him off. “And don’t bank on it being left to you. You are not the only child we know!”
“Are you leaving it to Mercy then?” He starts to get up. “I have had enough abuse for one day, I am going back to my store. And it will remain my store. Like you said, Uncle Victor…” I tamp down the urge to pop him one. “...I can get Mercy to do what I want.”
“That was over sixteen years ago. She has grown wiser, tougher, and more resilient.”
“But she still caved and stayed earlier, didn’t she? And I am almost on the project, aren’t I?”
“She will move.” Debs too gets up. “Now that you know where she lives, she will move. Like Vic said, wiser, tougher, and more resilient. And the other thing she is, is resourceful. She has been living in the Pitts for over five years and you never knew! Think about that!”
MICHAEL’S HOUSE - TWO HOURS LATER
STUDY
MICHAEL
I almost throw my laptop across the room in annoyance, but I put it on the desk and then yell with frustration. I decided to go and see Mercy, but when I got there she wasn’t there, in fact, nobody was, and all the cars were gone. I figured that they had gone to the Monkey’s house, but nobody was there either. I then got caught up in a snarl up coming back, and while I was waiting for that to clear in back-to-back traffic, I saw on the other free and almost clear side of the road her car pull up at the stop light. She was smoking a fat cigar, and the tweens were with her and Ben, laughing and joking without a care in the world. And then the final indignity: she got out and let Ben drive!
I start to feel calmer as I pour the wine and think about what Uncle Victor said. I am peeved that Ma knew she was here and didn’t tell me, but that is not the issue now. What if he is right and she moves? She will be on her guard now. Can she see I just want to go back to what we had? I give this a bit more thought. “How to metaphorically kill two birds with one stone…” I rustle in my bag for my phone, and, although I know I am blocked on his cell, I decide to try his work email. Even though I never emailed him there, as he didn't want to mix business and personal, I still knew it. I choose my words carefully and hit send. I wait for a few tense seconds to see if I get a rejection email, but all I get is confirmation that it has been delivered.
“Right, that is one peace offering delivered. Now for the next one…”
BRIAN’S LOFT
LOUNGE
JUSTIN
“OH! AH! GNNNNH!” I shudder and buck before sinking onto the rug. “Yeah, now I know what rimming is!”
“You have the nicest tasting and plumpest looking ass!” He runs his fingers down both cheeks.
“Thanks.” I mumble, and try to turn over, but he sits on my legs. “Wet spot!” I grumble and he laughs. “Rapidly cooling wet spot!” I push up onto my elbows and turn to glare at him, but he is staring at my ass, with pad and pencil in hand.
“You aren’t seriously thinking of drawing my ass?!”
“Uhhuh.” He murmurs. “Perfect curve, with dimples at the base. You remind me of a violin.”
“Brian.” My other cheeks warm, such is the intensity of his gaze as he draws.
“Go to sleep.” He orders, reaching for a cushion and handing it to me. “Wet spot or head, put it where you want, but you aren't moving for a while.”
MERCY’S HOUSE - AN HOUR LATER
KITCHEN
MERCY
I read the text from Michael again and nibble the edge of my phone, then scrunch up my nose. “I don't believe you are sorry, Michael, but hey ho and never mind, it is your energy you are wasting.” I am about to put my phone away when an idea hits me. “But just to see if you are sorry…” I open up my contacts and start to send a group text. “...let’s see how much we can tire you out!”
BEN’S HOUSE - SAME TIME
LOUNGE
BEN
I have never been so attracted to anyone in my life. I try not to fangirl as Drew gets comfortable on the sofa. “What are we watching?” He asks, reaching for the beer.
“Whatever you want.”
“Can we watch the game from last week? Coach likes us to watch it back, and I haven’t had a chance to yet.”
“Uh huh?” I reach for the remote. “The old coach wants us to study excuse.”
“Hey! I have enough arrogance and ego to say, I am a great Ironman and look shit hot in my shorts!” He declares with a grin.
“I bet you do.” I return, switching the TV on.
“You bet I do what?” He looks at me over the bottle.
“Have enough ego and arrogance.”
“But don’t think I look shit hot in my shorts? I am wounded.”
“You don’t need to be told that.” I hope I am not misreading this and he is flirting with me.
“Indulge me.” He puts the beer down and rests his head on his hand. “Come on and stroke my...ego.”
“Stop that.” I chide him as I reach for my beer and he just watches me drink.
“I am not doing anything.” He chuckles. “Apart from waiting for you to make your move. And I will wait.” I have lost the ability to speak. “So the game…”
“Yeah the game.” I switch it on and for twenty minutes we say nothing.
“Aw that still sucks!” He sighs as his team mate fumbles an easy ball.
“Yeah, and the crowd does not go wild!” I scoff as he throws his hands up in disbelief on screen. “Of course you would never make a mistake like that!”
“Oh, get lost! Of course not, but in fairness he did have Berrington bearing down on his nuts!” We reach for our beers at the same time and he clinks my bottle as he takes his. “So, do I look good?”
“In…” I swallow the beer and hope I am not shaking as much outside as I am inside.
“My shorts.” He drains his bottle. “Oh, by the way, you available in about a month? I should be free about then, so I can take my time…”
“Take your time doing what?”
“Treating you the way you deserve to be treated.” He replies, standing up and picking up his empty bottle. He holds his hand out for mine. “It’s finished. Want another?”
“Uh, yeah, uh please I mean thanks.”
“Are you normally this eloquent?”
“Oh, get lost!” I return. “But in fairness, I do have Drew Boyd seemingly hitting on me.”
“No seemingly about it. I am hitting on you. Am I hitting anything?”
“Yeah, but…”
“Like I said, I have to do the Ironmen tour and then we start on Rage, so that's about a month. I shall be eating a disgusting array of food to put on weight...lots of flabbiness is going to happen...”
“What on earth would you do that for?!”
“Hah!” He swaggers to the kitchen. “So you do think I look good in my shorts!”
https://www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/alcoholic/james-goldings-blackberry-vodka